Children of Arkham
by AlwaysMoreMe
Summary: This is basically the first season of the Batman Telltale Game, just written down and made into a story. Diana/WW and Bruce are dating, but I mostly stick to the game's storyline and characters. Just thought it'd be something fun. You don't have to have played the game to read but WARNING: SPOILERS (obviously)
1. Realm of Darkness

**A/N: So, this is a new story, not related to my Bruce's Happiness Stories. I'm not giving up on that story but I'm putting it on temporary hiatus until I can find the inspiration and drive to continue the story. This is basically the first season (at least) of the Batman Telltale series. I recently finished the first season and started the second season, though season two isn't finished so I wouldn't do season two until it's done should I decide to. I honestly love the different spin it puts on the characters and how different things happen different ways (how Harvey became Two Face for instance). I will be adding Diana to it as Bruce's Girlfriend but she'll be on a mission for the JL instead of helping him. When she is around or talking to Bruce, she'll act very similar to Alfred. All of the things that happen in this are my choices throughout the game, what I choose to happen, who I choose to save, etc. So obviously, there will be spoilers. Also, I will not have every chapter be one episode, I will split up the each episode into multiple chapters, but will make sure you're aware of which episode it's apart of. One more thing before we start, I will have Bruce use the voice modifier like in the game but I will say that I personally hate it. I can't stand how it makes him sound but to follow the game, I will use it.**

 **Now, without further ado, the First Chapter of Children of Arkham! (Though that is subject to change)**

 **Thx!**

 **AMM**

* * *

An alarm sounds as I enter the Batcave. Without bothering more then a glance, I suit up and jump into the Batmobile. I arrive and grapple to the rooftop of a building across from City Hall before dropping down in front of a billboard, just in time to see a group of armed men walk onto the 52nd floor and towards the Mayor's office. The security guard that is dead downstairs had activated an alarm when he saw the guns, seconds before he was shot.

The men walk forward, triggering the security precautions and slamming metal doors to the Mayor's office shut. I switch on my voice modulator as sounds of police sirens fill the street below.

"They're on the 52nd floor." I rasp to Lieutenant Gordon after watching the armed thugs blow the elevator shaft and send it crashing to the ground. "I'm goin' in,"

"Hey, wait! Wait for backup!" He shouts to me.

"Don't need it," I reply before I pull out my grapple and aim right above one of the floor to ceiling windows. I pull it taught and allow it to pull me towards the building. I bring my knees to my chest and burst in through the window, shattering the weak glass and the flying shards knock the thug off balance. He raises his gun towards me after regaining his footing but doesn't get the chance to fire.

I yank the gun out of the thug's hands, sending his sprawling towards me. He screams right before I throw a punch after tossing his gun out the window. The thug falls to the ground and I quickly tie his foot securely with rope and then throw him out the window as well to dangle along the side of the building, unconscious.

I dash into the shadows as the other thugs come running.

"Shit," one of them curses as someone who appears to be the leader comes forward. His mask has a different look then the others.

"The hell'd he go?" another asks.

"Whatever got in, don't let it get out," the leader orders. One thug walks through the cubicles, his rapid breathing giving away his anxiety and fear. I dash behind him and find another thug. I silence him and tie him to a chair as the other approaches. He tucks his gun away as he tries to cut the other thug free. His distraction gives me the opportunity to pull out my grapple and aim it at the conscious thug's foot. He notices and pauses what he's doing, looking down as I give a swift yank, pulling him to the floor.

He falls, shouting out before the grapple pulls him towards me and into the darkness. I throw him out into the elevator shaft, tying him up before grappling to the ceiling beams. The remaining thugs come running, except for the one trying to break into the Mayor's office. I quickly move to be above the thug still unconscious and strapped to the chair. I pull him up and tie him and the chair to the beams as the three of the four remaining circle up.

I move above them and drop a smoke pellet in the middle of their small formation.

"The hell is this?" One shouts as they all begin to cough. I pick off two of them, saving the leader for last. He runs from the smoke to guard the thug still attempting to break into the office. I pull a batarang from my belt and aim at the leader's arm as he begins to rapidly fire into the open space. I drop down into the remaining smoke and look up, glaring while the white eyes of my cowl glow harshly through the clearing smoke.

The leader pulls out a handgun and aims it at me, beginning to fire, though missing terribly.

"Come at me! Come on!" I run at him, holding my arm up to protect my face. I kick the leader in the head, knocking him back and sending him crashing into the remaining goon. I punch him in the stomach then bring my fist down forcefully on his arm, forcing him to drop his gun before I grab his face and slamming his head into the remaining metal door. I then toss him behind me and turn as he gets up. We begin to circle each other as he pants before he throws a punch. I block it as he continuously throws punches and kicks, which I block or dodge before I deliver punches and kicks of my own. I shoot my grapple at the metal door behind the leader and jump, letting it pull me towards the leader. I kick into his chest and we burst through the door, him landing unconscious at my feet but I look up to see a woman in a tight black suit opening a wall safe behind the Mayor's desk.

"Didn't your mother teach you to knock?" She asks teasingly. "Behind ya big boy," I sidestep as one of the thugs is suddenly awake and swinging at me with the saw they tried breaking in with. I dodge and flip him over my shoulder, knocking him out for good. "Payday," I hear the woman say before she goes running out of the office and to the elevator shaft. I'm quick to chase.

She pulls out some sort of device that allows her to stick to the wall before pulling the elevator doors shut behind her just as I reach her. I run for the stairwell and go to grab my grapple when cops shout out to me from half a level down.

"Stay where you are!" One of the cops shouts. "You're under arrest!" They all pull their guns out as I aim for the top floor. I land at the top and sneak out onto the edge of the roof as I hear doors being pried open. I look down to see the woman walk out and take a deep breath of cold Gotham air. She pulls whatever it is she took out of her pocket and looks at it.

"Without a scratch." She sighs before tucking it back into the pocket.

"So far," I growl and watch her jump slightly. "That doesn't belong to you," I state as she turns to face me.

"I was wondering if we'd cross paths." She sits on her hip and crosses her arms.

"You broke the law. Here I am."

She waves a hand and rests her other hand on her hip. "Cut the shit," She snaps. "'The law?' Don't tell me that's why you do all….this," she gestures to me then the rooftop. "Squeeze into a suit, tie on a cape. Most people dressed up like that end up in Arkham."

"Gotham needs a hero. Someone to hunt down people like you."

"So that makes me what?" she asks, her teasing tone back. "A villain? Sounds fun,"

I squint my eyes at her, trying to figure out what she's up to.

"Gotta admit it though-you give a good chase. One day you might actually catch me." She begins to walk away.

"Tonight," I growl.

"Don't you know not to corner a wild animal?" she teases. "It's dangerous."

"Then let's put you in a cage." She pats her pocket and then crouches into a fighting stance.

"Bring it, Bat," she gestures for me to bring it on. I jump off the roof and land in her path. She's quick to strike, but I swiftly dodge her and block her attempts. She proves to be a good fighter, though, as she dodges my own movements, but barely as I nearly kick her in the side before she moves. She flings out a whip and it's comes close to my face twice before it wraps around my ankle. She yanks and I fall before she goes to whip again. I stick my arm up and the whip coils around my wrist. I slash off the end of it and knock her off balance with the weight shift. I jump up and quickly throw a few punches, which she blocks, until I get two good punches in, shoving her back multiple feet and cracking one of the red goggle lenses covering her eyes. She slashes at me with her….claws? It distracts me enough to allow her a chance to run. But as she runs up the stairs to the helicopter pad, a bright light shines down on her.

A Gotham City News copter is flying around above her and recording her as I jump up to fight her myself. I land another few punches before she begins swinging once more. I dodge and block all of her punches and scratches before landing a hard punch to her stomach. It knocks the breath out of her as I pick her up over my shoulder and throw her. She surprise me with how quick she is to get back on her feet and come swinging but as she jumps towards me, I body slam her into the ground.

"It's over," I tell her as I hold her shoulders down.

"I wouldn't be so sure," she pants at me as one of her legs pushes on my chest and her device from the elevator shaft is attached to my arm. I'm suddenly being pulled off the helicopter pad. Once the device is no longer holding me to anything, I grab it and yank it off, tossing it to the side as I roll on the ground, pulling out my grapple and aiming it at her. It hooks into the back of her suit and yanks her down to the same stretch of roof as me. She pauses to catch her breath as I stand.

As she stands and turns to glare at me, the door behind us kicks open and the police flood the roof.

"Two of 'em now?" One shouts in surprise.

"I've got him!" Another shouts as he aims his gun.

"WAIT! WAIT! WAIT!" Gordon commands as I look back towards the woman dressed almost like a cat. "Do not shoot!"

She's quick to try and use my brief distraction to her advantage but she still fails to land any blows. She kicks out and I yank her arm to my shoulder and pull her over it, flinging her to the ground as the News chopper comes to shine on us once again. She gets back up and runs at me, slashing and punching but as I dodge, I see the pocket is strapped on, not attached to her suit and grab it, yanking it off and pulling out the device inside while I fake a punch before throwing the bag and a batarang to pin it to a wall.

"Why go to all that trouble," I start as she stops for a moment. "For this?" I ask, holding up the device that had been tucked into the bag.

"Shit," she curses as her eyes widen and I tuck the device into my belt. I begin to walk towards her when a gunshot rings out and there's a sharp pain in my side. I look down and see blood leaking out of my side from the gunshot. I hear the woman gasp as Gordon begins to shout.

"God damn it! I said don't shoot!" The woman runs and despite my pain, I run after her.

"No! Wait!"

I chase her back up onto the helicopter pad and pause at the top of the staircase and pull out a small EMP device from my utility belt and aim it for her throwing it and hitting her right as she jumps off the building. I quickly run after her and jump, diving off the side and plummeting down after her. I grab another one of her elevator shaft devices off her and attach it to the side of the building, feeling us begin to slow as I hold her to me. But then we run into another roof and I lose hold of the device and slide off the side.

I land on a ledge and then look up just in time to see the cat woman falling off the side and falling past the ledge towards the traffic below. I reach out and grab her, dangling over the edge with one arm holding me up and the other holding on to her. She awakens a few moments later and looks up. I notice her goggles are gone and a black eye is forming around her left eye.

"Guess I was wrong about you catching me." She states tiredly. "Not sure if it was for my sake….or yours."

"Give up! There's no way out!" I say to her.

"Gimme some credit." She shrugs the shoulder of the arm I'm not holding. I lift her up towards me.

"Bye Bat," She says seductively before scratching my jaw and letting go. She falls before the familiar sound of my grapple launching pulls her away and to the moving train passing by. I look down to see that she did indeed take my grapple but then I see my gunshot wound above the missing slot and wince.

* * *

 **A/N: So that was the first chapter! Yay me! This is basically how this will go, how it will sound, yada yada yada. I probably won't mention Diana all the time since, like I mentioned in the Author's Note at the top, she's on a different mission and can't always be checking in, but I will mention her every once in awhile. She won't really be a main character at this point. So please let me know what you think and I'll see you in my next chapter!**

 **Thx!**

 **AMM**


	2. Realm of Silhouettes

**A/N: So here is the second chapter of Children of Arkham! The first episode is called Realm of Shadows so I thought for all the chapters pertaining to this episode; they will all start with Realm of and then a word similar to Shadows. The last chapter that is from this episode will be called Realm of Shadows but until then, the chapters will be Realm of Something similar to Shadows. Also, let me know if I had this in the right genre and if I should add one. I wanted Action but that wasn't an option so I had to go with Adventure but I feel that doesn't fit as well. I hear Adventure and think of Tomb Raider or Indiana Jones or something like that. Oh well. Let me know!**

 **Thx!**

 **AMM**

* * *

I remove my suit gingerly and pull on my dress pants before going upstairs into the manor and walking out from behind the grandfather clock. I approach the portrait of my family hanging above the fireplace before clutching my side and wincing again.

"Bruce….you can't keep doing this," Alfred says worriedly as he sneaks into the parlor.

"I have to….no one else will." I grunt out as I switch to be clutching my side with my left hand instead of my right, which goes to support me by grabbing tightly against the fireplace.

"Every drop of blood, everything you've sacrificed….this city is safer now." Alfred insists. "But it's made you a target. And people will keep you in their crosshairs until you've been shot out of the sky."

"I can handle it," I state sharply before moving away from the fireplace, not noticing the bloodstain from my hand I left behind. Alfred approaches me and motions to the medical supplies sitting on the table. I lean against it with my back facing Alfred as he stitches my side together and wraps it before moving to pull shards of glass out of my shoulder.

"I know you're trying to create a myth, but be careful you don't turn into a monster." He warns as he pulls out the last piece. I straighten from against the table, walking towards the neatly folded dress shirt.

"Sometimes you need a monster," I tell Alfred.

"If you want to be intimidating, you're succeeding. Criminals are becoming afraid of you. So are the police."

"It's a scare tactic, Al. Just a performance." I tell him, leaning on the table for a second before picking up the shirt and unfolding it, carefully slipping it on over my shoulders and buttoning it up.

"A myth can't be killed." He tells me as I begin to tie my tie. "You, however, are flesh and blood." I tighten my tie then shrug on my tux jacket, buttoning that before turning towards the door, my hand rising to touch the scratches on my jawline. What will I say if someone were to ask? Cut myself while shaving? That might work. "Step out of the shadows. And be Bruce Wayne tonight."

I sigh. "That's a much harder fight."

"Don't let tombstones be your family legacy." I tense at the mention of my dead parents before taking a deep breath and pulling the doors open.

"Well then, time to save the city." I walk out into the main hall as everyone applauds.

"Thank you! Thank you, everyone!" Harvey Dent says over the microphone. "A humble District Attorney like myself is not used to such a ringing endorsement. Even one who cut Gotham's crime rate in half! For too long, this city has burned with corruption and greed under Mayor Hill's authority. But I promise you, a vote for Harvey Dent, is a vote to finally put your foot down. Together, we can stamp out the fire and save our great city!" He raises his champagne glass in toast as everyone applauds.

"If only Mr. Wayne, my campaign's largest backer, could have heard that applause he-well there he is! Fashionable and fashionably late as always. Say hi, Bruce!"

The spotlight moves to me and everyone turns to face me. I wave a hand. "Hi, Bruce," I say jokingly and get a few chuckles.

"Well, I tee 'em up and he knocks 'em down. That's how Mr. Wayne and I do business. Thank you, thank you, everyone, for your unwavering support. Together, we will change Gotham." He raises his glass once more before stepping down the stairs and towards me.

"Mr. Wayne! Thank you for opening your house to us!" Harvey says joyfully as he approaches. He wraps an arm around my shoulders and pats my back before pulling away. "Now I know this is the biggest mansion in Gotham, but I don't think you got lost on your way here." He jokes.

" _Where were you?_ " He says, leaning in closer and lowering his voice. "I know you prefer the brooding billionaire angle. So the sooner we make nice with the donors, the sooner everyone will leave you alone."

"Just wanted to make an entrance," I tell him, leaning back against the column behind me.

"Congratulations, you almost missed it! You are a pillar of this city _and_ my campaign. I need you here and tuxedo'd and shaking hands. No one came here tonight to see me."

A waiter walks by with more champagne and Harvey grabs a flute for me. "They want to see the Bruce Wayne. Am I right?"

"And I can see them just fine from here." I tell him.

"This shouldn't be painful. This isn't a kidney stone. It's only a little face-time with potential donors. Your face, specifically, with a mouth saying, 'Support Harvey Dent.'" Despite the fact that Harvey and I have been friends for a while and I told him I'd finance his campaign, I feel like Harvey's only my friend for my money and popularity. I take a sip of the champagne.

"We're the grease, they're the wheels. And they're rolling in enough cash and votes to help make Gotham a place for families again."

"I'll do anything for Gotham. It's my home."

"It's _our_ home." Harvey corrects. "This'll help you too, Bruce. Once I've turned this city around as mayor, you'll be a hero for funding my campaign." It's like he thinks that's the reason I'm doing this, that that's what I want from him being elected. "Now all I need is a decent slogan. I'm terrible at those. It always makes me sound like a used car salesman. Which, for the record, I have not been since before law school."

"Alright, alright, alright, how about 'A new face for Gotham?'"

"Look at you, that's not half-bad! I'm gonna use that!" As the waiter walks past again, Harvey and I both place our champagne glasses on the platter. "I meant what I said-together, you and me, we change Gotham. A city free of crime, where children can play in the streets again."

"I want that too, Harvey, but you know how rough it is out there. We have to shake things up to make that happen."

"Well, we can start with a few hands, hmm? Come on," he leads me to a familiar couple, making me miss Diana more then I already do.

Before we get to them though, I see a figure hunched over one of the tables, drinking from a bottle. "Oz?" I ask quietly but Harvey pulls me towards the couple.

"Mr. Wayne, I'd like to introduce you to-"

"Bob and Regina Zellerbach. Of course I know these two." I reach out and shake their hands.

"Hello, Bruce," Regina greets adoringly.

"Regina's the chairwoman of Wayne Enterprises and her husband-"

"Voted for Mayor Hill last time." Bob interrupts. "I'll admit it, Mr. Wayne, I don't know Mr. Dent from a pothole on Main St, but I trust your family. If you believe in dent, we believe in you." He raises his glass in cheers. "After all, whoever you support is a reflection on you."

"And we trust someone like you to lead this city to greatness." Regina adds.

"I'm flattered, truly," I tell them. "But this night is all about getting Harvey Dent elected so he can fix those potholes."

"Hmph," Bob huffs. "I think I speak for half the room when I say politicians are puppets."

"Come on now, Bob," Harvey starts. "I'm not a politician, I'm a crusader! No strings attached."

"Old families like ours should flock together, you know. Like birds." Regina tells me, changing the topic back to the previous one.

"You're preaching, dear," Bob tells Regina as she takes a sip of her champagne.

"No, it's true-the Wayne's and Zellerbach's are reminders of the golden age of Gotham." Harvey agrees.

"This city's luster faded years ago, Mr. Dent. Look at Gotham now. Murder in the streets, corruption in City Hall, and that cape bat-freak dealing out vigilante justice like it's the wild goddamn west!" Bob states fiercely.

"Oh Bobby, regarding 'golden age' it seems like you're getting cranky in yours." Regina teases her husband. "There's always hope."

"Forgive me for being blunt, but one man can't save this city." Bob claims. "And it's a dangerous mentality to think so. That's how you get creeps like this Bat-Man."

"I'd say it all depends on the man. Sometimes you need a person who'll go off script." I say.

Bob was taking a sip of his champagne but almost seems to spit it out at my words. "Such as dressing up in a bat costume?"

"And taking out the criminals who ruin our city, though the cape may be a bit much." All but Bob chuckle a little. The cape is necessary sometimes. I didn't like it at first but it's grown on me since I realized how nice it is to have sometimes.

"But don't worry though-I'm not doing this alone." Harvey says. "With Bruce's help, we're replacing the dangerously insecure Arkham Asylum with a state of the art mental facility to help Gotham's most at-risk individuals. It will be dedicated to Thomas and Martha Wayne in the hopes that their fate will never be repeated." I tense at the mention of my parents and remember what tomorrow is, but I can tell by the way that Regina looks to me that she's going to talk about it even more. I look to the ground.

"After all your parents did for this city….to be killed in a botched robbery in some alleyway. It was terrible. Truly terrible." Regina remarks.

"A tragedy like that, at such a young age, must have been crippling." Bob agrees. It still can be if I think too much about it.

"If only that….deranged man….had gotten the right treatment maybe….Well, I don't like to think about 'maybes,' and I'm sure you don't either," Regina adds.

"Yes, well that was a long time ago. I've moved on." No I haven't.

"Of course, of course," they seem to understand I'm done with this topic.

"Together, we'll help the whole city move on." Harvey ensures before we both nod and leave.

"Not saying I doubted you….but that went better than expected."

"It is a night of ringing endorsements." I say. Then Harvey stops, realizing a young woman come in and grab a flute of champagne.

"Well, hello. Harvey Dent, Gotham's next mayor and eager to know you." He greets, shaking her hand as I try not to roll my eyes.

"Vicki Vale, not interested, and reporter for the Gotham Gazette."

The moment reporter leaves Vicki's mouth, Harvey seems to lose all interest. "This is a private fundraiser, Ms. Vale. No reporters allowed.

"Well, you don't mind if I stay and ask a few questions, do you Mr. Wayne?" Vicki asks hopefully.

"Well you can ask _me_ whatever you want at the press conference tomorrow," Harvey assures her.

"Actually, I'm here for Mr. Wayne." Of course she is.

"Tonight is strictly off the record," I tell her firmly. "We can talk, but nothing gets written down.

"I'm okay with that." She shrugs. "I was just hoping to see what makes Bruce Wayne tick. This is quite the social event Mr. Wayne-"

"Ah, come on now, so formal. Call me Bruce."

She blushes slightly. "Well, Bruce, you've been going around pleasing everyone tonight. But, how are you doing? You should enjoy your own party before all the champagne runs out."

"Everyone loves the host-you're king for a day." I shrug.

"Just a day? I would've guessed Bruce Wayne has that feeling year round."

"Yeah well I take nights and weekends off." I tell her then she squints her eyes and step closer but I step back.

"Mr. Wayne, you've got something on your collar. Is that blood? Yeah, it looks like-"

"Oh, this? That's nothing. Just cut myself shaving." I tell her.

"What, your butler didn't help you this time?" I glare at Harvey, unappreciative of his joke.

"Kidding, kidding," he says under my intense glare.

"Do excuse me, Master Bruce, but another….guest….has arrived." Alfred says as he comes up behind me.

"I'm sure they'll find the bar."

"You may want to greet this one personally sir." I look over my shoulder and see Carmine Falcone walk in with some of his men.

"Carmine Falcone?" Vicki asks. "Is the Dent campaign soliciting votes from Gotham's biggest crime family?" When Harvey immediately goes on the defensive, I know something's up.

"Falcone's never been convicted of anything except being a businessman who loves this city. Excuse us, Ms. Vale." Great so I get to come too. I offer a small smile and shrug of my shoulders before following Harvey.

"And what kind of business do you think he's in?" I ask Harvey as I approach him at the small makeshift bar where a server's pouring him a scotch.

"The one that controls enough votes to get me into City Hall. This is the necessary evil of politics, Bruce. It's in the service of a better Gotham, for all of us. At least hear him out before you kick him out. Falcone requested to speak with you directly. Maybe he can change your mind." Harvey tells me as Falcone walks further into the room, grabbing people's attention.

"Jesus, Harvey. Inviting a known criminal to your fundraiser? Doesn't exactly look good for your squeaky clean image."

"Let me worry about that. A word of warning, Bruce? Play nice." And with that, Harvey throws back his head and downs the rest of his scotch.

"You know, I've been in a market for a new house," I hear Falcone saying as we approach him. "Decent walk up, sky-high ceilings, plenty of room for my cars….I think I'll take it. Thought the décor offends my eyes. Oh man, all flash, no class."

"Let's talk privately, shall we?" I ask Falcone.

"I like this guy. Ready to do business before we even introduce ourselves. But we'll get to that." He turns to me, offering his hand. "Carmine Falcone. Thank you for welcoming me into your home. You're a respectable man, I hear." I look from his outstretched hand to his eyes with sharp intensity and he pulls his hand back.

"Gentlemen, perhaps we'll all be more comfortable in the parlor," Alfred suggests. "Follow me, if you will," I look to Falcone then follow Alfred.

"You should know, Mr. Falcone, my analysts say we're raising triple what Mayor Hill has-" Harvey says, beginning to follow us into the parlor before being stopped by one of Falcone's men. "Hey, what's-"

"Private audience," the man says.

"Oh, come on, guys." Harvey complains. "Bruce?" He looks to me.

"You'll be fine out there, Harvey. I saw plenty of skirts to keep you busy for a few minutes. Have a drink, have a talk."

"Harvey stays with us," I tell Falcone who glares for a second before relenting.

"A man's home is his castle-I respect that. Seen and not heard," Falcone tells Harvey.

"Whatever you-" Harvey begins before Falcone cuts him off.

"Ah! Ah! What did I say?" Harvey quiets before quietly going to sit in one of the chairs off to the side. "Mr. District Attorney here wants to make sure the rules are followed." Falcone says as he helps himself to the Scotch sitting on the poker table. "But in my experience, there's the law and there's doing what's right. You understand? And I'd rather see Harvey actually help this city, instead of just saying he will. The man talks too much, chaps my face with words." Falcone says as if Harvey isn't in the room.

"Unlike most people I've met, Harvey actually has integrity." I defend. "He's trying to make Gotham a better place."

"So am I. So are you. Hey, we all carry this city on our broken backs. Might lighten the load if we do so together." He finishes the Whiskey and sets it on the corner of the pool table. "I ain't here to chin-wag about politics, Mr. Wayne. Gives me indigestion. I got enough of that as is." He sticks a hand out and one of his men pulls one of my pool cues off the rack and hand it to him. " So, let's talk relationship." He tosses the chalk cube to me and holds out the tip of the cue.

"Chalk this for me." He says, nearly orders, before softening a bit. "Be a pal. I can get Harvey the Mayor's seat….or I can pull it out from under him." I grab the chalk cube and toss it back to Falcone. "Whatever happened to being a gracious host?" He asks as he chalks his own cue. "Okay, imagine….this is me." He says, holding up the white ball. "And these are all my friends in Gotham," he gestures to the neatly arranged pool balls waiting to be struck. "The businesses. Restaurants. Clubs. Docks. Unions. Politicians." Falcone gets to the end of the table, lines up his shot, and shoots, sending the balls rolling all over the table.

"I make them all move. And I want to keep everything moving if Harvey gets elected. That's why I came here tonight, to your lovely home, hoping to make a new friend. One that can help Mr. Dent see the light, if need be." I cross my arms over my chest. "Between your businesses and mine, I bet we employ half the city."

"Yeah, that's not happening." I tell Falcone.

"This isn't a deal with the devil," Falcone insists before slamming his pool stick down on the edge of the table. "You listen to me, kid. I know somewhere inside that tuxedo, you understand this situation." I uncross my arms as Falcone comes around the table to stand in front of me. "Money gets money. The risks, the alliances, the hidden costs. Your father knew which hands to shake." We both glance at the family portrait. "And which to break." He says as he drops his voice and leans in closer.

"Don't you dare talk about my father." I have to refrain from growling back.

"Woah, you're getting worked up over nothing," Falcone insists, leaning back and acting causal again. "Hell, I knew him longer than you did. People don't say 'no' to me. Not for long." Then the door opens and Alfred stands at the doorway.

"Master Bruce, your guests are leaving. I recommend seeing them out. You wouldn't want to be rude."

"Heed your butlers advice, kid," Falcone tells me as he begins to walk towards the door. "Oh, and I'm no longer interested in buying the house. The owner's a prick. And he's gonna get what's coming to him." Like I would even sell him the house.

* * *

 **A/N: So that's a wrap on the second chapter! Falcone?! What?! Why did it all end in a Church? *wink wink to a different game* For those of you who haven't played the game or aren't interested in the game, I think this might be an interesting story to just read, especially because of all the twists and turns it throws in here. I know I didn't expect any of it as I played through.**

 **Thx!**

 **AMM**


	3. Realm of Vestige

**A/N: So here's the third chapter of Children of Arkham! I love writing this, even though I'm only half an hour into the game technically. I'm also attempting to write this as I babysit two 4 year olds and an 8 year old, one of the 4 year olds is very energetic so this is proving to be very….intetresting.**

 **P.S. When I mention Diana at the end, I'm going completely off script but I'm back to the game in the next chapter.**

 **P.P.S From here on out, there is a small time skip between chapters. I'm following the game. So, because the game didn't show Bruce seeing his guests out, I didn't write it and just began writing the second chapter when the next scene of the game started.**

 **Thx!**

 **AMM**

* * *

I touch the scratches on my cheek and when I pull my fingers away, there's a small amount of blood. I enter the elevator and allow it to bring me towards the caves beneath the mansion.

The doors slide open and I walk out into the barely lit cave. "It's me," I say into the darkness and lights begin to illuminate the area while the sounds of machines begin to whir to life. I walk towards the batcomputer and turn on the news before glancing over at the two tickets splattered with blood sitting on my desk. The small display case they're normally in is open. I pick up the tickets and carefully place them back in the case.

"And we have breaking news tonight." The news reporter says. "Five criminals are in custody this evening after a break in at City Hall. The notorious Batman was on the scene but failed to secure the stolen items."

"Not all of them," I mutter to myself as I look to the small device I pulled out of my suit before putting it away and going upstairs. "Let's see what she was really after." But then I see the batsuit and the hole from the gunshot. The suit absorbed most of the damage. I've gotta protect my back, even from the police. Then I look to the cowl. Holographic lenses, voice modulation, Wayne Enterprises really outdid themselves with this version.

I move to head back to the small device but then see the news feed. The first articles headline says:

 **DA Dent Pressures Mayor to Decry Vigilante**

Others include:

 **Police Lieutenant Tapped to Lead Task Force**

and

 **Wayne Enterprises Fund Arkham Asylum Replacement**

I then eye my spare and new weapons. I approach the device and pick it up. "I nearly fell off a building for this?" I type in a few commands then sit down as my chair rises out of the ground. After sitting, I plug the device into the data port.

"Encrypted," I mutter as a lock pops up on screen.

"Wayne Manor has seven bedrooms, two kitchens, a library, a gymnasium, a basketball court, and a movie theater….and yet I always find you here." Alfred tells me as he enters the cave. "In a dark, damp cave," he says as he sets down the coffee he prepared. "In front of a computer."

"I'm more at home here then the rest of the house, you know that." I tell him absently as I work on decrypting the device.

"Then we should build an eighth bedroom down here." He jokes.

"Sure. I can see the headlines now. _Bruce Wayne. Billionaire. Entrepreneur. Cave Dweller."_ I joke back.

"Quite an eclectic resume." He tells me. "Did you find out what that….cat woman tried to steal?"

"In the process," I tell him when a progress bar appears.

"What are we looking at?" Alfred questions, leaning forward and squinting his eyes.

"Let me try a different angle." I hit a few keys and an overview of the city materializes behind me. I spin in my chair and stand up, approaching the cityscape. I spin the diagram until I'm looking at the Eastside Shoreline, which is highlighted in purple.

"That's Eastside Shoreline. But it could mean any number of things. Money, weapons, drugs, everything flows through that port."

"Maybe it's where Mayor Hill picks up his dry-cleaning." Alfred suggests.

"Hmm….I can't make sense of it yet, but there's still plenty of files to decrypt." I wave my hand over the hologram and it disappears.

"And in the meantime, I saved you what I could." He gestures to the coffee and sugar, even though he knows I take my coffee black.

"Thanks, Al," I say.

"The same couldn't be said for the bar-I had to literally pry Mrs. Zellerbach away. But you'll be pleased to hear everyone has left, including Mr. Falcone before the game switched from billiards to cutthroat. I'd recommend leaving the fist fights to your alter ego. Blood stains are much harder to remove from a tuxedo."

"I don't want anything to do with Falcone." I state adamantly.

"Well, he certainly showed interest in you," Alfred reminds. "That's what worries me. For the record, your father despised men like Falcone. Thought they ruined Gotham's stellar reputation."

"Back when it still had one?" I ask, looking to him before moving my eyes back to the screen.

"It can again, Bruce. Though people like this cat woman aren't helping. Is she new to town?"

"Never seen her before." I admit. "Hopefully, she's just a tourist. I'll check the codex." I select the codex and scroll through until I find the file for Catwoman. "Found her." Alfred and I both scan through the information but don't learn much.

"Not much to find, apparently."

"A few burglaries, break ins….seems to lay pretty low."

"You could learn a thing or two from her." I cross my arms and lean back, nearly glaring at Alfred. He sees the look but goes to defend his statement. "You can't step outside without it ending up in the news lately. As Bruce or Batman."

"That's the point. I want criminals to know I'm out there. Batman isn't hiding from anybody." I uncross my arms and lean back in towards the computer.

"I was talking about Bruce," Alfred says. I hit a few more keys before standing up. "I don't mean to beat a dead argument, but-"

"No one's gonna figure it out, Al. Trust me."

"Ms. Vale noticed." He points out. "So did Mr. Dent. If they put it together with the incident from the Mayor's office….it would undo all the long nights and close calls we've endured to get here." It's not like I had time to cover the scratches and stop the bleeding. "You're in the spotlight more than ever. You have to be careful." Alfred gently insists, but the worry is evident beneath it.

"I've had to cover for mysterious injuries before." I remind him.

"You've been lucky." He states.

"Or I'm just a really good liar."

"A necessary evil in your line of work, I suppose." Alfred relents. "Though I hope you change careers someday." And somehow I know he's not talking about my CEO position at Wayne Enterprises. I turn away from him.

"Old men worry, that's all. It's our gift and our curse." I turn back to Alfred as he holds something out. "One more worry for the list." It's one of the business cards Harvey had set around upstairs. I look at it for a second before flipping it over. On the back, next to a coffee stain, is written in neat blue handwriting:

Park! 6 am –Oz

"I thought I saw Oz. It's been what, 20 years?" I ask Alfred as he leans forward and types something into the Batcomputer. "Last time I saw him….we were in grade school."

"Indeed," Alfred agrees as a picture of two boys pops up on screen. One in a dark blue long sleeved shirt with a smile on his face and the other in a red t-shirt with his tongue sticking out. Oz could never take a serious picture. Our arms are slung over each other's shoulders. "You two were thick as thieves. Oswald, however, took that role more literally than you." Alfred leans forward, hits a few keys and Oz's mug shot and record pops up.

"Dishonorable discharge, illegal boxing matches, arms dealing, prison stints." I read off as newspaper articles and pictures of his illegal acts pop up as well.

"It's a criminal grand slam, if I'm using the expression correctly."

"Unfortunately, you are." I admit to him.

"Oswald claimed he only wanted to catch up, but his behavior following his family's collapse is….troubling. Why he's returning now, I haven't the faintest idea."

I think for a moment. There's no way this is a coincidence. "Do you think he might know something about the break in?" I ask Alfred. "This catwoman shows up the same time Oswald comes back to town….might not be a coincidence."

"Oswald's crimes, numerous as they may be, are on a much smaller scale than robbing City Hall." Alfred replies.

"Well, he was always trouble growing up, but the fun kind of trouble."

Alfred gives me a look before saying with a small smile, "You both were." I shrug. "Even though you and young Master Cobblepot used to be close, I'd advise you to be cautious. But I know you can't abandon a good mystery until it's solved."

"I'll be careful, Alfred." I assure him.

"When you see what's become of his park, I think you will." A picture of Cobblepot Park shortly after it'd opened pops up on screen. "By the way, Mistress Diana called while you were making your rounds. I told her you'd call back at the first chance you got." I smile slightly. I think Alfred is just as smitten with her as I am.

"Of course, Alfred. I'll give her a call, then I'll take a quick shower, and then I'll change to go meet Oz in the park." I tell Alfred as I see the time and nearly falter as I remember for the first time in a few hours what today is.

"What about sleep? And something to eat?" Alfred asks as I walk back towards the elevator.

"What's sleep?" I ask over my shoulder before stepping into the elevator and hitting the button to take me up. The doors slide shut as I watch Alfred shut off the computer. As I rise towards the mansion, I pull my phone out of my pocket and scroll to Diana's number. The phone rings four times and I start to worry she's asleep or something but then she picks up.

 _"Bruce!"_ I hear on the other end.

"Hey, Princess," I greet. "Did I catch you at a bad time?" I ask.

 _"No, I just had my phone on silent and didn't hear it buzzing. How was Harvey's campaign?"_ she asks and I can hear her flopping onto something as springs squeak.

"Ah, it was a party and I had to play billionaire playboy. Same ol' same ol'." I walk into the kitchen and strip off my tux jacket and shirt before bending over to find dawn dish soap under the sink for the stain on my shirt collar. I pull my phone away from my ear and put it on speaker after setting it on the counter.

Alfred walks into the kitchen with the coffee I didn't end up drinking downstairs.

"Hello Mistress Diana," Alfred calls out.

 _"Alfred! How are you?"_ Diana asks.

"Doing fine. Did Master Bruce tell you about his unexpected guests tonight?"

 _"No. Were these Bruce Wayne's guests?"_ she asks.

"Yes, Princess. Was talking to people with Harvey when I see a childhood friend chugging alcohol in the corner and then he left a note saying he wants to meet at 6 am and then Carmine Falcone showed up." I tell her as I start scrubbing on the stain. Despite having a butler, when stuff like this happens to my Bruce Wayne clothes because of Batman things, I try and take care of it myself if I have the time. I feel bad dumping everything on him.

"Bruce, there's more to tell then Carmine Falcone just 'showing up.'" Alfred scolds, knowing I'm trying to downplay it. It's not like I'm worried or anything about him showing up.

"I don't know what else to say." I say honestly.

 _"Well, what'd he want?_ " Diana asks.

"He said he had friends in the city and was hoping to make a new one and then Harvey's also working with him to help win the position of Mayor. Personally, I don't think Falcone likes Harvey. He had nothing positive to say about him even though Harvey was right there. He thinks Harvey is just saying he'll make Gotham better. I fully believe Harvey will change Gotham, will _do_ things to change Gotham for the better. Then he had to bring up dad. That pissed me off, naturally, and he warned me that I'd get what's coming to me."

Diana's fully aware of how I feel when my parents are brought up, especially by people who are trying to say bad things about them or are insinuating bad things about them.

 _"I'm sorry they brought up your parents, Bruce,"_ Diana says softly.

"Yeah, well he's gone. I don't think it's good that Harvey's working with this guy but I can't tell Harvey what to do." I decide I've scrubbed hard enough on the shirt and Alfred comes up with my tux jacket tossed over his arm and he takes the shirt.

"Thanks, Al," Alfred nods before leaving the kitchen.

 _"Well how was the rest of your night? Anything else happen?"_ I know she's talking about Batman.

"Other then a handful of thugs trying to break into the Mayor's office and a new thief in Gotham, no, not really. How's it going for you guys?" I ask as I begin unwrapping my waist, wincing when I pull bandage away from my injured side.

 _"What's that noise?"_ of course she hears the bandages.

"Nothing," I tell her as I remove the bandages quieter.

 _"Like Hera it is. Are those bandages I'm hearing?_ "

"Would you like me to start your shower, Master Bruce?" Alfred asks from the doorway.

"I can get it, thanks," I tell him.

 _"Alfred, are those bandages I hear?"_ Diana shouts. I wince but for a different reason then the injured side.

"Why yes, Mistress Diana. Did he not tell you-" I look to Alfred with wide eyes and shake my head while indicating for him not to continue. Alfred smirks and continues anyway, "that he was hurt this evening? Oh he was mighty fine to stitch up. Made him late to the campaign." I want to slap my forehead and bang my head against the wall at the same time.

 _"What happened, Bruce?"_ Diana demands, practically setting my phone on fire. I can hear her mild annoyance and fury at me for not mentioning my injury.

"Diana, it's fine. Nothing that hasn't happened before and that I can't handle."

 _"Alfred-"_ Diana starts but knowing Alfred will go into full detail and make me sound like an idiot, I cut in.

"Fine, I got shot." I admit.

 _"What?!"_ Diana shouts. _"Is that it?"_

"I got scratched on the jaw as well, but I'm fine. The suit took most of the damage of the gunshot."

"If you mean by 'most of the damage' that the suit just stopped the bullet from going in one side and coming out the other, then yes it took 'most of the damage', Master Bruce. But I would not consider the suit taking more damage then you. That bullet tore right through your suit." I roll my eyes as Alfred informs me of his opinion.

"You were able to dig it out and stitch me up, right? So I believe that since you only had to stitch up one side, that I'm fine. It's not like I've never been shot before." I pull away the last of the bandages and Alfred approaches with fresh supplies.

"There's probably a video of this all happening on the Gotham City News website, Mistress Diana. They caught Master Bruce and this woman fighting." I cringe as Diana begins shouting again.

 _"Woman?!"_

"Yeah, that new thief I was talking about. Never seen her before here in Gotham." I say, trying to sound nonchalant.

 _"Kal!"_ Diana shouts away from the phone. I hear him call back. _"Can I borrow your phone?"_

 _ **"Why?"**_ Can faintly be heard.

 _"There's supposedly a video of Bruce getting shot and I want to see it so I can shout at him."_ Diana tells him and Kal chuckles.

 ** _"You got an angry Amazon over here, Bruce."_** Kal says loudly.

"I never would've guessed," I say sarcastically. For the next few minutes, I can hear the video playing and can almost feel Diana getting more and more upset while Alfred assists me in re-wrapping my waist. Then I hear the police break out onto the roof and Gordon's order not to fire. Another moment before a gunshot rings out. Then I'm heard-or Batman's heard-shouting after Catwoman. Then the video seems to end.

 _"Bruce Wayne, you're in a lot of trouble when I get back. Nothing?! Getting shot in the side then running after some mad woman and holding on to her while dangling off the building yourself-I could kill you!"_

"It's not like I was going to let her fall. You know I would never let anyone die on my watch if I can help it. No matter how insane they are."

 _"I hope those scratches on your jaw hurt!"_ Then Diana goes on to curse in Greek. Alfred secures the bandages in a spot I can't reach so I can't undo it myself, at least not the proper way, and then leaves the room.

"Princess, I'm sorry, but it could've been far worse and it's not like I'm not used to it. I barely feel it at this point." I try to assure her but it doesn't work.

 _"And you think that makes me feel any better?!"_

"No, I guess not, but I am sorry for worrying and upsetting you. I just didn't want you worrying when you're supposed to be concentrating on your own mission." There's silence on the other end for a few moments. "I love you," I say quietly. I hear a quiet sigh.

 _"I love you too, Bruce, but I don't want you to keep things like this from me."_

"I know," is all I say. "I gotta go, Princess. We'll talk later, okay?"

 _"Okay. Love you, Bruce."_

"Love you too, Princess. Bye,"

 _"Bye,"_ and she hangs up.

"Well, that could've gone way better but could've gone worse as well," I mutter to myself. "Alfred!" I shout out. "You can't just go and tell her things like that and leave me by myself to make it all better!" I shout and can hear a distant chuckle.

* * *

 **A/N: So I actually split this and the next chapter up. The next chapter was originally part of this one but when I saw how long it was, I split it up. This chapter is already long enough; adding another 2,000 words to it probably isn't the smartest idea.**

 **Thx!**

 **AMM**


	4. Realm of Obscurity

**A/N: So this is the fourth chapter. This was originally part of the last chapter but it was too long so I split it up.**

 **Thx!**

 **AMM**

* * *

Alfred drops me off at the north entrance of Cobblepot Park. I climb out in just my button up white shirt with the sleeves rolled up and dress slacks. I walk past a man huddled in front of trash can fire with a shopping cart full of items pulled close. I get to the bottom of the stairs leading up into the park and look around. I notice the graffiti now covering the dirty and cracked walls along with the weeds and trash littering the sidewalk and stairs. Where are you Oz? I take a deep breath and begin to climb the stairs.

Once I'm at the top of the stairs, I'm surprised to find even more garbage and homeless people huddled in on themselves. I see a homeless man and the alcohol bottles and cans around him. Despite knowing what the money will go to, I crouch down and drop some spare change into an empty cup.

"Thank you sir," the man mumbles weakly.

I get to another set of stairs, except this time they descend into a familiar area. I remember Oz and I used to play here, running around the statue at the bottom of the stairs. Right as I go to take my first step, my phone dings. I pause, pull out my phone, and see an unknown number.

 _Running Late. Meet you by the statue._

"Great," I sigh. I know the number's Oz so I change the contact name and then descend the stairs. I come to a stop in front of the statue. "There's the statue, but no Oz." I mutter to myself. I look around just to see more garbage, graffiti, and homeless people with weeds going rampant.

I approach a small plaque on the back wall, quickly reading over the history of the park. "Well, it isn't what it used to be." I say before turning around and walking to the front of the statue. I hear someone approaching me.

"Watch, wallet, cash." He demands and I turn to see it's one of the homeless men. "Or this," he gestures to the small pocket knife he's holding, "goes through you." I don't move as another homeless guy approaches.

"Hey, you heard him, man." He tells me.

"Go ahead," I taunt. "Try to take it."

"The hell'd you say!" the first man orders.

"End him!" The other says and the first one approaches slowly before someone interrupts.

"Gentlemen!" the man says. I look over and recognize it to be Oz.

"Oz," I say quietly.

"Keep walkin', alright? This doesn't concern you, twerp." One of the thugs tells Oz.

"You see, that's where you're mistaken." Oz's familiar strong English accent says. "My old mate and I have some catching up to do." The first thug comes towards Oz with his knife outstretched when Oz punches him hard in the face and shouts," And you're ruining the moment!" The thug doesn't fall so Oz kicks him. "Think that'll do?"

The other thug turns to me and tries to throw a punch but I dodge and hit him in the stomach. I can hear the grunts and groans of Oz beating the first thug up. "Stay down!" he shouts after ramming the thug's head into a metal bench armrest. I turn back to the remaining thug as he pulls a gun out from his waistband. But before I can do anything, Oz comes up and punches him in the shoulder, sending him sprawling towards me. I punch the guy and send him to his knees before grabbing his gun and easily disarming it.

"This used to be a nice place!" Oz shouts angrily before punching the thug to the ground. "Low lives like you don't belong." The first thug is suddenly awake and on his feet, running towards me but I sidestep him and allow him to run right into the statue. But before the man can move, Oz grabs his head and slams it into the statue once more. The man falls before scrambling to his feet and running away. The second thug does the same.

"This is my park! Mine!" Oz shouts after them. "You hear that?" Suddenly he laughs, as if it was a bunch of fun for him to go all crazy like that. "Ha, oh hey, Bruce! You've got a little…." He trails off and before I can stop him, he licks his thumb and brushes it over my jaw where some of the blood spatter from one of the thugs must've gotten me. I stand there appalled before clenching my fists. That was uncalled for and inappropriate. He's not my mother. "There! Good as new!"

I notice how much blood splattered on his own face and shirt but don't say anything. "Woo! That was a right little scrap, eh? Nothin' kick starts the system like a dash of adrenaline, eh? Besides, someone needed to deal with the rubbish situation here."

"Hey, I could've handled that myself. " I tell Oz as he walks a few paces away.

He spins on his heel to face me again. "You mean a knife handle in the back? 'Cause that's what would've happened, mate. No offense."

"Yeah, right," I say as Oz approaches me again.

"It's been, what? Two decades?" he asks.

"And you know what, I haven't been mugged once that entire time," I tell him, crossing my arms over my chest.

Oz laughs. "That wasn't why I brought you here, mate. Right now, I'm tryin' to recognize the little Bruce I used to run 'round this place with. Back when it wasn't, y'know, like this," he gestures to our surroundings. He goes and sits down on a bench. "This park….it used to mean something. A place that was safe for kids, for families….people came from all over to visit. Oh, mum and dad put so much work in here."

"This place is a wreck," I tell him as I stuff my hands in my pockets, aware I'm stating the obvious. I'm still trying to see if Oz can still be the same kid I grew up with or is like the crazy maniac I witnessed only moments ago. "It's better off bulldozed." I tell him, wondering if I'll get a rise out of him, if he'll get all angry with me easily.

"This park still matter to me, Bruce," he tells me. "It's all my folks left behind. This city chews right through people." He pulls out a flask and takes a large swig. "Mum, committed to Arkham; Dad, ended it himself, he did. My family's fortune….there's nothing left, Bruce."

"I know," I say quietly. "Alfred told me." I pull my hands from my pockets.

Oz takes another large swig from his flask before saying, "S'funny, huh? Same place that ground my family to dust gave you a good life. Used to run in the same circles, we did." Oz slumps in the bench, folding an arm back to rest on the back of it. "Hobnobbin' parties, round the world vacations, unlimited potential, hot Amazon girlfriend. Now all I've got is this park."

"I'm sorry, Oz. No one should have to go through that," I tell him though I'm unsure his reason behind telling me all this.

"Thanks, Bruce. But we're not the only ones suffering." Oz stands, still clutching his flask. "Y'know when I saw you at the party last night I thought….Bruce Wayne….hasn't changed a bit." He lowers his voice as he walks past me and says. "But maybe I was wrong."

He walks up to the statue and puts his flask on the ledge. "Shouldnt've been a surprise when I saw you with Carmine Falcone. Made himself right at home, that oily f-ugh! Wish I could've punched that grin into the back of his throat." Oz growls.

"Falcone was an uninvited guest-that's it." I defend. Maybe I should bring up that he was an uninvited guest as well. "I never want to see his face again."

"On that, we can agree in earnest." Oz tells me, turning away from the statue and his flask. "Falcone's made a stack of cash and corpses a mile high ruining families like mine!" Oz suddenly snarls, obvious anger suddenly boiling under his skin but he's back to his calm façade when he speaks his next words. Almost too calm. "All he needs is a little push and…."Oz trails off as turns back towards the statue and pushes a now empty flask off the ledge and sends it crashing to the ground.

"It'd be a treat to watch him hit the pavement." He says quietly before squatting down and picking up the flask.

"Sorry, mate. This reunion got a lot more grim than I planned!" And he's back to being cheerful. I wonder if he's suffering from some type of bipolar or multiple personality disorder? Loss of family and lots of jail time can do that to someone.

I stuff my hands back in my pockets. "Things're gonna be on the upswing soon though. A revolution is knocking on Gotham's door….and I'm here to let it in." A revolution?

Oz walks towards a ledge against the walls surrounding the small area. "Which brings me to you, Bruce. You see, you throw a rock in any direction; you break a window that Wayne Enterprises owns. As the 'rich and powerful' go, you top Gotham's list." He says almost distastefully. He seems upset with my family's and my fortune. Maybe it's just because he no longer has his family's fortune. Oz is proving difficult to figure out and read.

He paces the ledge, one hand behind his back, the other gesturing wildly through the air as he talks. "But when my revolution starts, we're going to smash windows and cross off names all the way down." We? "Like I said, it's not gonna be pretty….it's gonna be beautiful!" He says enthusiastically.

"That's a battle you won't win, Oz," I try and warn him. Despite his past, especially these past two decades, Oz was still my friend and I don't want to see him getting in more trouble.

"No? I've learned a thing or three since we were kids." He hops down off his ledge and walks towards me. "I have got a great affection for you, Bruce. I really do. Which is why I'm warning you," he puts a hand on my shoulder. "When this whole thing starts, make sure you're on the right side." He drops his hand and begins to walk away.

"Good seeing you, Bruce, but I've got some rocks to collect. Cheers!" He says over his shoulder before disappearing. I stare after him, rather shocked by all that's happened in the past ten minutes.

My phone dings, drawing my attention away from Oz's retreating form.

 _Press conference for new hospital starts soon._ The text from Alfred reads.

 _Car waiting for you on south side of park._ I sigh before shoving my phone in my pocket and walking towards the south entrance.

* * *

 **A/N: So for you guys, these chapters are going every other week basically. Every other to every two weeks but I've actually written this chapter and the last three on 12/27/17 and 12/28/17. I might even do the next chapter tonight as well (12/28/27). We'll have to see. But this chapter is shorter, especially compared to the last. This chapter and the last was actually one but I split them up after I saw how long it'd gotten. That chapter's already long enough as it is, this added to it would not have helped it.**

 **Thx!**

 **AMM**


	5. Realm of Suspicion

**A/N: I'm on a role! 5** **th** **chapter I've written in 2 days! Wooo!**

 **P.S. Whenever the characters text each other, it's italicized. To differentiate the people texting, I have one-person bolded and the other not.**

 **Thx!**

 **AMM**

* * *

I walk out the south entrance and find the batmobile-changed-red Ferrari waiting for me. I get in and find my suit jacket already in the passenger seat. I slip it on then speed off towards the outskirts of Gotham where the press conference is being held for the new mental institution. I pull up moments later and see Harvey already on stage and a crowd of reporters waiting for the press conference to begin. I step out of the car and people immediately turn and begin to take videos and shout for my attention. I put on a small grin and begin to walk through the throng of people. They all thankfully part for me so I can reach the stage easier.

"Good morning, everyone," I greet. "Morning, Mr. Dent," I say as I walk up the stairs to the makeshift stage.

"Hey, Bruce. Mind if we swap cars? I mean, my isn't fast and the paint's rusting off….but boy, does she have charm." He gestures to the car at the back of the lot. A few of the reporter's chuckle. "We didn't bring you all out here to discuss cars, honestly." Harvey says as he walks towards the edge of the stage and I walk to stand behind the podium.

"We're here about Arkham Asylum. Ever since it's opened its doors, Arkham has been a breeding ground for the criminally insane." My phone vibrates in my pocket.

 _Need to talk._

"It's methods for rehabilitation: crude, its security: lacking."

 _ **What's up?**_

"Worse still, those who do get out-or God-forbid escape-are even more dangerous than before they went in."

 _ **At press conference.**_

 _Call me ASAP._

 _ **Got it. Will do.**_

"Arkham Asylum is a cancer on Gotham." Harvey comes over and pats my shoulder and I quickly slide my phone in my pocket. "But today, with a stable contribution from this man here we break ground on a state-of-the-art mental health care facility. One that will improve the well being of Gotham, and its citizens, for years to come. Mr. Wayne has a few words he'd like to say." Harvey removes his hand. "Bruce?"

"My parents loved Gotham. They invested their blood, sweat, and tears in this city." I take a deep breath and tell myself to not feel. Shut out any emotions and say this. I need to say it to make them understand why this facility is so important to me. "You know, when I was eight years old, my parents took me to see a movie about a hero in a mask. It was a hero who stood up to oppression and defended the people from injustice, no matter the cost.

"That night…." Deep breaths, "my parents paid the ultimate cost defending me from a man…." You can do this. Don't think of how it tore you apart. Drown the part of your heart that remembers the feeling of anger, sadness, confusion. Push through the pain and finish this, then you can go lock yourself in the cave for a while and take out some training dummies. "Who needed the kind of help this new facility will provide. Let us honor their memory with this new facility in the hope that a night like that….that it never happens again." Harvey steps forward.

"Today, on the anniversary of that fateful night, we dedicate this facility to Thomas and Martha Wayne, and usher in a new era of healing for Gotham." The crowd applauds.

"I'm, uh, sure you all have plenty of questions about the new hospital, so let's open it up." Many reporters raise their hand and I recognize Vicki Vale at the front. "You first, Ms. Vale,"

"Thank you," she stands up. "With the opening of this new hospital, what does this mean for Arkham Asylum? What happens to the old building?"

"I think Arkham has only done harm to Gotham." I state. "It's made criminals more unstable, put our citizens in jeopardy. _We can do better."_ I insist as Ms. Vale sits back down. "Alright, who's up next?" I look at the reporter then pick on someone. "Uh, you there."

"Mr. Wayne, Julia Ramarque of the Tribune. My sources say that you welcomed alleged mob-boss Carmine Falcone into your home." I cast a side-glance at Harvey who just crosses his arms.

"I don't make friends with gangsters." I tell her. "He was an unwelcome guest-that's all. Next question please," Julia sits down and Harvey speaks up.

"Please keep your questions on topic, people. We're here about the hospital, remember?" My phone vibrates in my pocket and I pull it out quickly.

 _Urgent! GCPD is here._ My eyes widen. What's the GCPD doing at the manor?

A man stands up to the side as I put the phone away. "But Mr. Wayne! This morning, the Globe received evidence of an off-shore bank account managed by Carmine Falcone and your father, Thomas Wayne."

"What exactly are you implying?" I ask.

"Transactions connected to organized crime, going back years….and continuing to this day. The paper trail ties your family directly to the mob." People gasp and begin to whisper. I'm not doing business with Carmine Falcone. Something's off here. "Care to comment?"

"And did anyone else receive this 'evidence?'" I ask.

"The Globe, the Gazette, we all did!" It escalates quickly to chaos as reporters begin shouting their questions.

"I think you should check your source." I have to raise my voice. "It sounds to me like an intern is finally putting their creative writing minor to good use." The chaos continues to grow as the reporters begin standing and coming closer towards the stage. I can hear my phone ringing and feel it vibrating in my pocket.

"I'm sorry about this, Bruce," Harvey whispers. "I dunno where the hell it's coming from. Damage control's my territory. We'll talk later." I walk off the stage as Harvey addresses the crowd. I pull my phone out of my pocket.

" _Bruce, I've been trying to reach you!"_ Alfred says frantically over the phone. " _The police are inside the manor!"_ I hang up and quickly dash for my car, ignoring the reporters still trying to ask me questions. Just add this to my pile of things to worry about.

I pull up in front of the manor and rush towards the main doors, opening them wide and nearly running straight into an officer. They're everywhere. I see some idiot cop coming down the stairs and nearly dropping a box full of things.

"Hey! Hey, careful! Put it back," I order.

"I'm afraid we can't, Mr. Wayne," I hear a familiar voice say. I look up and see Lieutenant Gordon standing at the top of the main stairs. I fold my arms across my chest.

"Says who?"

Gordon unfortunately holds up a piece up paper that I know says he can go through and even take my things. "This warrant," he shows it to me and I see Alfred come walking down the stairs to the side, looking worried and nervous. "It's not personal. I had the boys turn their lights off and keep a low profile." Gordon tells me. I take the warrant and check it over.

"There's gotta be a mistake." I tell him.

"That's what we're here to find out. Maybe we made a mistake. Maybe you did." I look up at him, squinting my eyes at him. Then I look past him to Alfred.

"Alfred, keep an eye on them. Make sure they only take what they have to."

"Of course, sir," Alfred says before turning around and heading back up the stairs. I turn on my heel and walk away but I hear Jim following me.

"I meant what I said about 'not personal.'" He tells me. "We only want files related to Wayne Enterprises." He says as I walk into the parlor. Cops are swarming every inch of it. "The warrant covers your place, pardon me, place of residence and any companies you own. Your holdings are….extensive."

"Who authorized this?" I ask as I turn to face him.

"I know you and the DA are buddy-buddy, but this one came from the top. It's a valid warrant. I gotta serve it." Jim nods to me, his eyes begging for me to understand he's just doing his job. "Mayor Hill signed off on this himself. As long as he's Mayor, he calls the shots." I can't help but be upset.

I sardonically chuckle before replying. "So you just do whatever Mayor Hill says?" I cross my arms over my chest.

"Hill and I…." Jim trails off for a second. "We have a vested interest to keep things professional for Gotham's sake. Doesn't mean I like the words whistling through his windpipes. I don't know how your neck ended up on Mayor Hill's chopping block, but here we are."

"Hill knows that if I go down, Harvey's campaign goes down too." I tell Gordon and I can tell that he knows it too. I uncross my arms.

"That'd be a real shame. Mr. Dent's the only DA I ever trusted to make a conviction stick. As Mayor, I think he can finally turn things around for us. For all our sakes, I pray you've got nothing to hide." And with that, Jim turns and walks away. I know that I've nothing of what they're searching for to hide so I'm not worried. What I am worried about is them finding an entrance to the Batcave or finding something to trigger an opening. I hear something shatter behind me and I tense before turning around.

An officer walks past me with an almost smug look on his face and I see the picture frame lying frame down on the ground and I already know what picture it is. I slowly walk over to it and crouch down, picking it up gently. Within the cracked glass lies a picture of my parents and me. My parents dressed up with my dad holding me. I couldn't have been three or four in that picture. As I concentrate on the picture, on my father's intelligent eyes and my mother's kind smile and me in the middle, looking so happy, the world fades away around me and all I can hear are the voices.

" _Bruce! Stay back!" My Father orders._

" _Take whatever you want," My Mother offers._

" _Y-you don't have to do this!" Father says before two gunshots ring out and the sound of my parents bodies hitting the ground re-embeds itself in my memory._

" _Bruce?" My Mother gasps out as she fights to remain alive. "Bruce?" she asks one more time before her heart stops and her breathing slows before her whole being slackens and life seems to leave the alley in which they died._

The sound of shoes clicking on the floor begins to bring me out of my recollection of that night.

"Bruce?" a woman asks. I look over my shoulder and see Vicki Vale standing in the doorway to the parlor. "I….I didn't mean to interrupt but I…." she trails off as I stand back up and place the picture frame on the mantle of the fireplace.

"It's not a problem, really." I keep my back to her as she begins to talk.

She sighs. "Oh Bruce, first the Mayor's office, now Wayne manor. Gotham continues its streak of break-ins." I finally turn around and act unaffected.

"Really going for the record, huh?" I joke though she can tell I'm not feeling it.

"Look, Bruce, a scandal, surrounding a beloved family like yours, captures the public's attention." Of course she's here about that. I guess it could be worse. It could be the guy that got everyone wound up at the press conference. "I can help you get the right kind of attention. Through my connections at the Gazette, I have all kinds of access. I can dig up whatever you need to fight this."

"I appreciate the offer, Ms. Vale," I fold my arms back over my chest. "Trying to say, 'I'm the good guy here-'" she cuts me off.

"Yeah, instantly makes you look bad. I get it. So let me say it for you. The Gazette received this supposed 'evidence' like every other media outlet." I uncross my arms and walk away, feeling rather fidgety and antsy, which has never been a problem before. "And it's all hearsay, flimsy sources. There isn't a shred of hard proof."

"Still, allegations like this, they don't magically appear," I turn back to her. "Someone is going after my family, after me."

"Obviously, the sender didn't identify themselves. We have no idea who it could be. I mean, no one's even done their due diligence on this yet. The press saw the fumble, they grabbed the ball, and ran."

"Hill wants me out of the picture because with my backing, Harvey wins in a landslide. All signs point to hill," I tell her.

"You're a kingmaker, Mr. Wayne, and Harvey Dent is Gotham's knight in shining armor just waiting for the crown. You're the first target on Hill's list. By tonight, this scandal will be broadcast to every screen in Gotham. Everyone will be talking about it." Vicki tells me as I walk past her and stare out into the main hall.

"This isn't my first pass through the rumor mill-I know the damage it can do." I tell Vicki as she comes to stand next to me.

"Then go on the record-right here, right now-and stop it." She pulls out her recorder. "You need to get out ahead of this. Your side is what matters, not wild speculation." She tells me.

"On the record then," her thumb presses the record button.

"Whenever you're ready."

"The Wayne family has always been a cornerstone of Gotham. We have never had, and never will have, connections to organized crime."

She stops recording. "That's exactly what the people of Gotham need to here!" She says almost excitedly. I walk her out to the front door and Alfred opens it as she turns back to face me before leaving. "You're going to beat this, Bruce. The Wayne's always come out on top."

"Goodbye, Ms. Vale." I tell her and she walks out the door, which Alfred closes behind her.

"I hate to admit it…." Alfred starts, "but everyone smells smoke. A fire is heading this way."

"Batman has made plenty of enemies, but my family? We've done nothing but support Gotham, even in its darkest days." I say aloud, completely confused by all that's come up in the past hour.

"All this….on the anniversary of you parent's-" I cut him off.

"It's not a coincidence. Harvey's the District Attorney. He should've told me this was coming." I tell Alfred, trying to understand as Alfred steps forward, his eyebrows knitted in anger.

"Then find out why he didn't," he practically demands. I nod in agreement.

* * *

 **A/N: Personally, I say this is where things start to get dramatic, hectic, exciting, interesting. I won't say I wasn't entertained up until now but this, this part here is where things start to spiral out of control in a fun water slide with water getting in your eyes and your suit ripping on something it gets caught on. Here we go! Hope you brought an extra swimsuit!**

 **P.S. Well, I think I should probably go to bed now. Yeah, especially since I just ended the chapter talking about ripping swimsuits. Oh well, 5 in 2 days! Woo!**

 **Thx!**

 **AMM**


	6. Realm of Dusk

**A/N: So it's now 12/29/17 and here comes the sixth chapter! I've already planned the days I'm going to upload the chapters too! I'm on top of this story!**

 **Thx!**

 **AMM**

* * *

I walk up the street towards Café Triste and see Harvey sitting at one of the outside tables. I come up to him and slam the warrant that Gordon never took back on the table.

Harvey looks up at me then the warrant. "A warrant?" He asks disbelievingly, picking it up. "What the hell's going on? Wait, does this have to do with what the reporters were talking about this morning?"

"Yeah, someone's coming after me." I state, not hiding my anger.

"Let's avoid making another scene, shall we?" Harvey snaps. He lowers his voice to a whisper, checking over his shoulder. "The press is already up my ass." I take a seat across from him as he looks over the warrant.

"Mayor Hill authorized this?!"

"Yeah, then the cops raid my house, taking everything related to Wayne Enterprises. Computers, hard drives, files," I list off.

"Son of a Bitch," Harvey curses quietly while leaning back in his chair.

"You're the god damn DA, Harvey," I accuse and Harvey quickly leans back towards the table.

"I didn't know about this, I swear," he tells me. "Hill totally blindsided me on this one. Goddamn it! He has no right to issue search warrants without my okay."

"Okay, I believe you, Harvey. Mayor Hill's trying to screw us both over with this move."

"Then he's made two enemies." Harvey says determinedly. "I just don't get it. Why would Hill stick his neck out over this? Just to tangle you up in some frivolous investigation? That just doesn't make sense. I mean, what could he possibly hope to accomplish other than a few cheap headlines?"

"That is exactly what I intend to find out," I tell him.

"Easy, Bruce," Harvey says. "Oh God, what a mess. Bruce, I wish I could just make this go away, but I'm not sure if I can. If I get in the way of this investigation, Hill would be able to spin it as a conflict of interest and that wouldn't be good for either of us. It would jeopardize the entire campaign."

"Then I'll go it alone," I tell him, feeling rather hurt that he's more worried about his campaign struggling for a few days instead of how I'm being targeted but at the same time, I understand. "I've got plenty of resources to fight this."

"We're in a bind here, Bruce," Harvey admits as if I couldn't figure that out for myself. "I'll do whatever I can to help."

"There you are," a familiar voice suddenly cuts into the conversation. A woman walks forward with a….black eye...like last night. It's her. It's the cat woman.

"Hey, you," Harvey greets affectionately as he stands to greet the woman.

"Sorry," she apologizes. "I gotta habit of being late."

"No, no, just glad you made it," Harvey brushes off before he leans in to kiss her cheek.

"You didn't tell me you were bringing a friend to dinner," she comments, eyeing me, her gaze lingering on the scratches and her eyes squinting. She must've pieced it together too.

Harvey pulls away and angles himself towards me. "This is Selina," he introduces.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," she says.

"I'm Bruce Wayne," I tell her.

"So you are." She replies.

"Pleasure to meet you, Miss…." I hold out a hand and she reaches forward to take it.

"Kyle." She tells me as we shake hands. "That's a strong grip you got there," she says and that's when I know for sure she knows who I am. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna fall," she tells me before muttering, "again."

"Selina's new to town," Harvey says as we all sit back down. Yeah, I know. "I've been showing her around Gotham. Introducing her to people.

"You're an excellent tour guide, Harv," she praises.

"Well, if I lose the election. I guess I can drive one of those double-decker tour buses around town." Harvey jokes.

"Meet anyone interesting?" I ask her.

"Not really," she replies. "They haven't all been as welcoming as Harv. I was mugged," and I know she's covering up for the black eye I gave her. "I'm just angry I let that masked freak get away with all my stuff." Yep, she definitely knows.

"I still can't believe I let you walk home alone," Harvey says, putting his arm over the back of her chair and pulling her close to his side. "I should've called you a car.

"Well, I sure hope whatever he took wasn't too valuable," I try.

"Actually, it was,"

"It's probably long gone by now, whatever that idiot took," Harvey tells her.

"I hope not. These were important materials."

"Ooh, sensitive?" I ask.

"Very. I don't know how I'm going to explain this to my client," she says, looking down at the table with worry. "When things like this happen in my line of work, people tend to over-react." She tells me.

"We should just be thankful you got away with a black eye," Harvey says.

"So what do you do for a living?" I ask her.

"It's complicated. High-risk, high-reward."

I play along. "Ah, stock market, huh?"

"Something like that. At least I'm not the only one that's taken a beating. That press conference? Oof,"

"We've got it under control," I tell her as I look to Harvey.

"Do you?" she asks. I just look at Harvey.

"I'll handle it," he almost snarls before removing his arm from around Selina. "Someone in my office has to know what's going on." Harvey's phone suddenly rings and he excuses himself from the table, leaving Selina and I alone.

We stare at each other for a few moments. "Nice to meet the real you," she finally says, offering a small smile.

"Likewise," I tell her.

"This explains a lot, actually." She folds her hands in her lap. "How you can afford the fancy armor and the toys. Wouldn't Harvey be surprised," she chuckles. "Not to mention, everyone in this café." I know she wouldn't because that would mean revealing how she knows herself and that would give her away.

"Sorry about the black eye," I offer quietly with a one-shoulder shrug.

She shrugs back. "It's not the first time a man's hit me."

"I'm sorry to hear that." I tell her sincerely.

"Don't worry," she says as she leans back in her chair, making it creak, "I'm not going to expose you….yet," She brings one of her hands up to her face and looks at her nails.

"I'm curious about something, though. I do what I do for money, but you're….Bruce Wayne. What's your excuse? I have to, but you….why take the risk?"

"I think you know enough already." I tell her. "The rest is my secret."

"And here I was thinking we were beginning to get somewhere. How disappointing." She looks away for a moment before looking back. "You have something that belongs to me. I want it back." She demands as she leans forward and rests one of her arms on the table. "This is awkward for me. I'm used to robbing people, not being the one robbed."

"Who hired you to break into the Mayor's office?" I ask.

"My clients prefer to remain confidential." She replies. "They don't know who I am, I don't know who they are."

"But you know who I am." I remind her.

"These people I'm working for, they don't screw around. If I fail to deliver that drive, it's gonna cost me a lot more than money."

"Well, it looks like you've made your bed," I say but she's quick to deny it.

"No. We've made this bed and I'm not going to lie in it alone. You owe me. If they don't get what they want, there will be consequences. I don't like consequences."

I lean forward and put both of my elbows on the table. "Alright, you want my help? You got it. What can I do?"

"You can give me back the drive," she says.

"Not possible," I reply.

"Listen," she sits back. "I don't have a lot of time. My employer is expecting me to drop it off-"

"Where?" I rasp.

"Just give it back." She nearly begs.

"The address. _Now_." I order.

"No," she argues back. "Give me the drive."

"You're just going to have to trust me," I tell her.

"I don't do trust," Funny. Neither do I. She sighs. "I guess I'm screwed either way." She pulls a marker out of her pocket and takes a napkin from the table. "My contact…." She explains. "He'll be expecting a cat, not a bat."

"When are you supposed to meet him?" I ask her. She glances at her watch.

"Fifteen minutes ago. Better hurry." I grab the napkin and put it in my pocket just as Harvey comes back over.

"Everything okay here?" he asks.

"You tell me?"

"I have my people working on it," He assures. "We're gonna straighten everything out."

"I feel better already," I tell him before standing up. "Sorry, but I've gotta run."

"So soon? Aren't you gonna stay for a drink?" Selina asks, knowing that I'm leaving because of her. It's almost like she wants to get me in trouble.

"Yeah, Bruce. Stay for a drink," Harvey tries to help persuade.

"I'd love to," I tell him, "but I've got another appointment and I really don't want to be late for it."

"Oh, okay then," Selina says before adding. "Don't forget to change into your suit." I glance over my shoulder as I continue to walk away before pulling the napkin out of my pocket. In bright red marker, it reads:

 _ **Gotham Docks**_

 _ **Warehouse 133**_

 _ **Don't Screw**_

 _ **It Up!**_

* * *

 **A/N: Yeah, don't screw it up! Sorry for the shorter chapter. This is actually the shortest chapter yet. I didn't want to add the next scene then have it be to long. So, it ends here for now. I think I'm gonna go buy a violin.**

 **Thx!**

 **AMM**


	7. Realm of Umbrage

**A/N: So, it's been awhile for me, it's the 16th of January for me when I'm writing this chapter. It hopefully is longer then the last chapter. I feel like the last one was a little on the short side but that's ok. Can't write monster chapters for everything.**

 **P.S. if you have played the game, Bruce actually calls the thugs mercs (mercenaries) but that doesn't make sense to me. How does he know that they're mercs for sure? So I just called them thugs instead.**

 **P.P.S an acromion is a shoulder bone**

 **Thx!**

 **AMM**

* * *

I land on the roof of the warehouse beneath Pioneer Bridge, glancing around at the dirty and desolate landscape. "Alfred, I'm at the warehouse. No sign of Catwoman's contact. It's quiet."

"The sound of an ambush," Alfred suggests. "Stay on guard." I silently jump down and land in front of the doorway to the warehouse. The doors are partially open, as if someone didn't shut them all the way. But I have to forcefully pull them apart to gain entrance inside. What I find is completely unexpected. Dead cops lay everywhere, sprawled across machinery and crumpled on the ground.

"This wasn't a handoff-it was a massacre." I say before walking further into the large room.

"How many?" Alfred asks.

I sigh. "I'd have to count the pieces."

"Oh, good lord," Alfred gasps quietly. "Who could've done such a thing?"

"That's what I'm gonna find out." I assure him before switching on my voice modulator and calling Gordon.

"Gordon, eastside docks, warehouse 133." I hang up before I hear a single word out of the lieutenant and then proceed to turn my voice modulator back off. I approach a large scorch mark on the floor, kneeling down to get a closer look. I tap a few keys on my control panel before my glove glows blue. I place my hand right above the scorch marks, moving it from side to side so I can get a good analysis.

"It's a volatile chemical. Potential psychoactive nerve agent. Vile stuff." I stand up and look around.

"Be very, very careful with that. Who knows what effects it may have." Alfred advises.

"Have the computer catalogue the compound for further analysis."

"As you wish," Alfred replies as I approach a foul smelling lump. But as I draw closer and the stench intensifies, I realize that the lump I'm staring out is someone's large intestine with what looks like a lung and a heart mixed into the pile. These are bloody remnants of an obliterated human body. What if these remains and those scorch marks are connected?

"There's nothing left to bury," I murmur. "Whatever exploded….did so with enough force to obliterate the person standing next to it. But the chemicals themselves were inert, non-explosive."

"Well, it appears to have made a pretty big boom." I glance around the room again, at all the dead cops.

"I'll see what I can piece back together," I tell him before heading over to a dead man. He isn't in a cop uniform. "I've seen these outfits before. Same guys that broke into City Hall." What are they doing here? Was this apart of the reason for their break in? Is it all somehow connected? Or are they just a group of mercenaries?

I walk away before going over to a shipping container door that looked like it'd been tore through. "The canister exploded, sending shrapnel right through the container door."

"For once, I'm glad you arrived after the heist." Alfred says. "Your armor wouldn't have protected you against that." I grab a hold of one of the doors and pull it towards me before ripping it off its hinges. I enter the container, noticing a piece of shrapnel or maybe a bent piece of the container itself protruding out from the wall with a bullet hole going right through it, the piece of shrapnel singed around the hole.

"Looks like a bullet started all of this."

"A normal bullet couldn't have caused that explosion." Alfred states.

"Doesn't appear normal-the point of entry's melted." I take another glance around the container, but see nothing else. It's empty besides the protruding shrapnel. I exit and walk to the already open container right beside the previous one and see pallets all over the floor.

"Hmm, canisters were stored here. Canisters of what?" I cross my arms over my chest and try to think of what could've been here before I look over at the dead cop to my left. The poor man is lying on a knocked over forklift, blood splatter all around him and blood dripping into a pool beneath him. It's still fresh. I leave the open container and go to the cop. "The force grows thinner everyday," I mutter as I eye the simple gunshot to his chest that would've instantly killed him. Seeing no evidence on him, I move on.

I walk towards another cop lying on the ground. From a distance, he looks like he has soot all over his face, maybe from a fire, but as I get closer, I realize he didn't get the aftermath of a fire. He got the fire himself. "This man's been badly burned, but….the damage seems to originate from inside his skull. What did this?"

I notice a bullets entry in to the right of his right eye. I pull a bullet locator from my belt and put the tip to the hole in his head before pushing it in. I block out the sounds it makes as it enters through the damaged bone and tissue before I begin moving the device back and forth, finally finding the bullet when the locator begins beeping at me. I wait a second and allow the locator to lock onto the bullet before yanking it out, once again ignoring the sounds and the blood that comes spraying out with the device.

I pull the bullet off the end before stashing the device back in my belt. I hold it up and scan it. "Sensors say it's an incendiary round. Phosphorous residue. This could have superheated the contents of the canister." I tuck the bullet away in my belt as well.

"Causing the aforementioned boom."

I glance down at the cop's hands. "Blood, broken nails, bits of human flesh." He tried to fight. Then I see another dead thug to my left. I stand and approach him. I make a sound of disgust as I see the mans face and neck.

"That bad?" Alfred asks, having heard my noise.

"His face is slashed, throat torn open, missing an eye."

"So, not natural causes then,"

I notice one of the packs on his protective armor is open and a small piece of paper sits inside. I reach forward and pull it out, seeing the fancy writing on the business card.

Skyline Club

I glance back over at the burnt cop and his hands then look back at the shredded thug. The cop must've fought this thug with his bare hands. It's why his hands were soiled with blood and bits of torn flesh. He tore apart the thugs face and ripped his throat open. "The cop shredded this thug to pieces. Bare handed."

"God," Alfred gasps again. "What would cause someone to do that?" How was this man able to do it at all?

"The nerve agent." I remember. "Could make them psychotic." I notice another cop lying dead against a pile of boxes, a white rose lying on his chest.

"White rose," I lean down and pick it up. "Falcone's calling card." And this is why I've never liked white roses. It's just someone's way of bragging that he was there. That he killed cops and maybe even his own people. White, innocence; a rose, romantic. Not to me. White, deceiving,; a rose, covered in prickly, painful thorns.

"He's been busy as of late," Alfred comments.

"Send the drones hunting. I want to know his every move." I place the white rose back on the cops chest, the only man here who seems to have been rather untouched.

"Good thinking, sir," Alfred replies.

I look over to the shrapnel-hit shipping container then back over at the cop. The line of the bullet that melted through that piece of obstructing container matches up perfectly with that cop. If that bullet burns through metal, no wonder it incinerated this cops head. It was a military-grade bullet designed to superheat upon impact. This poor mans mind was literally on fire.

"Find a connection?" Alfred asks.

"The bullet that killed the cop is the same type that blew up the canister." I tell him as I go to the shipping container and hold up the bullet. Perfect size.

"I'm sure they didn't find that at a local gun store.

"It's military." I tell him before noticing the un-scorched area in the middle of the scorched floor. "Something was here when the explosion occurred." This area is devoid of explosion scorch marks, indicating that something was here when the blast occurred while there's the rest of the floor completely singed. "Someone drove off after the explosion." It all makes sense now.

"Have you put it together?" Alfred asks.

"Yes," I activate my detective vision before typing a few keys on the control on my arm before turning to look at the whole room. "Falcone leaving his rose here-this is a message. Dead cops, stolen chemicals….he's making a big move." Holographic images appear of cops standing by the door and thugs standing by the shelves and boxes on the other side of the room and then a canister.

"One of his snipers hit a canister with an incendiary bullet, causing it to superheat and explode." The holographic canister explodes and a fake smoke emits, covering two of the thugs. "This may have been a distraction, or a way of destroying evidence. Cops moved in to stop the theft," the cops move forward. "Falcone's men gunned them down," The thugs guns light up to signify shooting. Cops get shot and thugs get shot.

"Then, things turned grim. Possibly due to the psychoactive nerve agent….a cop ripped up a thugs face with his bare hands." One of the holographic cops is shown attacking a thug before getting shot and staggering to the side, then falling down into his current position where both holograms fade. "And was put down. Same sniper, same type of bullet. Looks like Falcone's men got what they wanted and escaped." I watch as a holographic truck pulls away then everything shuts off.

"Have you located the shooter?" Alfred asks.

"No, but based on two impact trajectories-the canister and the dead cop….the shooter could only have a clear shot from there," I look up at an overhang. "There," I look at another overhang on the opposite wall. "Or there," I look over behind one of the barrels in the corner. "And would have contaminated himself with a phosphorous residue. Program the skimmers to pick up that residue." I request.

"Right away, sir," Alfred replies.

I grapple to the overhand opposite of the doors before pulling out a drone to detect the chemical residue from the canisters. I move it back and forth before noticing the blue tints on the walls and floors when the drone flashes over them.

"Phosphorous spike, clear vantage point, we have a winner." I pick up the drone and snap it back into its compact form before tucking it away. I notice a cigarette on the railing. "Huh, killing time?" I turn back towards he handprint on the wall. "This is the right spot, so where did he go?"

I walk farther down the runway before noticing that the trace stops. "The trace stops here,"

"Then he should be nearby." I look over a railing before seeing a pair of legs sticking out from behind crates down below.

"Found him," I say before reactivating my voice modulator and turning off my detective vision. I hop over the railing and land in a crouch before knocking a barrel aside. The sniper looks up, pulling a gun from his side and aiming at me. He shoots but misses.

"My turn," I growl before picking him up and slamming him into the wall, my grip tight around his neck, to the point I can crush his larynx if I squeezed any harder. "Don't make me add your corpse to this graveyard. Falcone! Why did he do this?!" I demand, slamming him against the wall again.

"I ain't tellin' you nothin'!" He shouts defiantly. He chuckles before shouting, "You can't make me talk!"

I slam him against the wall once more, harder then the previous times and he takes a deep breath when I pull back slightly before coughing.

"I ain't tellin' you jack!" I throw him to the floor; face down before tying his hands behind his back. "You tryin' to scare a confession outta me? I won't break,"

"Your bones will," I growl. Then I secure his feet before shooting my grappling hook at the ceiling so he can dangle in front of me. I pick a pipe up off the floor as I turn back towards the thug.

"It's true what they said about you!" He accuses. "You're a friggin' animal!" I intimidatingly hit my hand with the pipe.

"Give me a reason to stop," I tell him. I approach him as the fear begins to shine brightly in his eyes. "You know, you can bleed to death without ever spilling a drop," I inform him, freaking him out even more. "All on the inside. Tell me the plan," I get in his face. "Or I start swinging," I growl out.

"I ain't scared of you man," he tries but I swing right by his head and knock a barrel away, him shouting out in fear.

"Tell me!"

"That….Catwoman….was supposed to hand over a drive, bad the container number we needed, but she flaked. So we had to find it ourselves. Container by container. Someone must've heard up, called the cops….we were told no witnesses."

"Why risk open war with the GCPD?" I demand.

"Some kind of chemicals. Falcone wanted 'em."

"What are the chemicals for?!"

"We were paid to steal them, not ask questions." I squint my eyes at him before spinning him away and cutting his arms free, grabbing one of them and holding his hand between my bicep and my side so I can apply pressure. He screams out as I break a part of his upper arm.

"I start here," I threaten. "I keep breaking until you answer."

"The chemicals….are some kind of explosive. A weapon! I dunno! Falcone said he'd use 'em soon!"

"Used where?" I demand, applying more pressure to break acromion. He screams out again. "That's all I know! I swear! I swear!" I move my hand down closer to his elbow. "I told you everything I know! You're an animal! I was just here for a pickup! I swear!" I grab his shoulder forcefully and break the ends of his humerus, radius, and ulna, shattering his elbow completely. He screams out, reaching over with his other hand to hold his arm.

"You'll never hold a gun steady again." I grit through my teeth. Then I hear voices over at the door. I look through the stacks of boxes and the shelves and see Gordon walking in with another cop. I aim my grappling gun towards the ceiling and disappear before Gordon and the other cop see me.

"I was wrong," the cop says. "We are gonna need that ambulance too. The hell is going on tonight, Lieutenant?"

"Batman," Gordon murmurs before he glances up at me on the walkway. He moves to shine his light and gun but I'm gone by the time the light can shine on me. I can tell by the way he glances at the thug now unconsciously hanging upside down that he notices and will remember how violent I can get.

* * *

 **A/N: This one was decent sized and I feel like the first time we really got to see Bruce's detective skills in this story. I always love playing, reading, watching, viewing anything that involves Bats and his amazing detective skills. Just the way that he can piece everything together so quickly. It blows me away every time.**

 **Thx!**

 **AMM**


	8. Realm of Haze

**A/N: I feel like once I get started writing these, it's hard to stop but then once I stop, it's hard to come back to it. Idk. Here's the chapter.**

 **Thx!**

 **AMM**

* * *

"You're taking this too far, Bruce," Alfred tells me as he dusts off the cowl. "You assume the persona of a bat, but you are not an animal. You nearly killed a man tonight." I did not. I just injured him, broke his arm. How does that equal nearly killing someone? But I remain quiet as I stew in my chair. I stare at the computer as it continues decrypting the data from the drive that we set it up to do earlier. "Your parents didn't raise you this way. And neither did I."

"He's still alive, isn't he?" I ask Alfred, referring back to the man with the broken arm, ignoring his attempt to get through to me by using the parents card.

"And in the hospital." He says before taking the cowl to the table beside the batsuit. "Next time, it might be the morgue." Never. I would never allow myself to kill someone. I wouldn't be able to live with myself. "Especially now, during this preposterous attack on your family, you must show the world the true nature of a Wayne."

"Giving everything to this city and then being murdered for it?" I ask him.

"My thoughts exactly," Alfred snaps. "Every time I see you leave this cave." He glares at me harshly but I just slump in my chair and look away. "You're a good man, Bruce-good, just like your parents." Alfred tells me, losing the coldness in his voice as he approaches. "Don't lose that. I don't mean to be a doddering old fool on the subject. But, as a friend, the burden of advice falls on me."

"Sometimes this job requires hard decisions," I tell Alfred as I stand up and approach the small table beside the batsuit with the display of my parent's blood-spattered movie tickets sitting on it. I lean heavily against it.

"You're the right man to make them," Alfred assures me. "In fact, I think you're the only one who can. You bury the person, Bruce, but you never bury the memory."

I clench my eyes shut. "Sometimes, I wish I could." I admit as I reopen my eyes, taking the cowl and securing it to the batsuit. "That night….that alleyway….it made me who I am….I can't get it out of my head."

"That is your gift and your curse." Alfred says. "Being Batman can allow you to turn back the tide of treachery that's reached this city's shores….or drown you in its sorrow." Alfred comes towards me, before stopping at the table. "When you doubt your fate, remember why you started all this." He turns to me and holds up one of the tickets. "Remember that boy in the alley,"

I take the ticket. "I won't forget." I tell him, putting the ticket in my coat pocket, having changed into my suit after getting back so I'm ready for the day when the computer beeps.

"Neither will I," Alfred tells me before we walk to the computer, ready to see what's on the drive. "Back into the fray again," he attempts to joke as I sit down. I go to see what's on the file but see an article in the Gotham Media Feed.

 **Corruption Rumors Tarnish Wayne Family Legacy**

It reads. Then I scroll to the next article.

 **Batman Tangles With Masked Crook Atop City Hall**

I exit out of the Gotham Media Feed before anything else fuels the anger that keeps building beneath my skin, simmering just to blaze at any moment. I click on the drives file.

"Looks like that egg finally cracked. And inside, Mayor Hill was hiding….more than I could've imagined," All over the screen are pictures and documents involving crimes committed or involving Falcone. "This is a complete manifest of Carmine Falcone's criminal organization."

"What in the world was Hill doing with all of this?" Alfred asks. "Illegal arms dealing, drug running, mob hits, money laundering," Alfred reads off the list. "Falcone's been involved in everything."

"This is an insurance policy," I piece together. "Hill could expose Falcone if he doesn't play along."

"That would explain why he's never made a move against him." Alfred agrees.

"Sure as hell better than any bodyguard." Alfred hits a few keys and I spin in my chair, standing up as a holographic blueprint of the city appears, areas turning from blue to red as the hologram links with the computer. "This is it, Alfred. With this proof, we can finally knock out Falcone's organization." Eventually, the whole map is red.

"Where would we even begin to dismantle it?" he asks.

"This is a police matter," I tell him.

"And there's only one cop we can trust to handle this evidence correctly."

"Lieutenant Gordon," I say. "He could mobilize the entire police force against Falcone."

"What about that reporter from the Gazette-" I cut Alfred off.

"Vicki," I suggest.

"Yes, Ms. Vale. She could release the evidence through proper channels. I suppose it comes down to who you want to help most. Or who you think could do the most good." I could give it to Ms. Vale but I feel that Gordon should have this. He'd be able to do the most good with it while Vale could get shoved aside by someone claiming she has faulty evidence. One of Falcone's men could come after her. I feel it'd be better to hand the information over to Gordon.

"The cops are on the frontlines of this war. Gordon needs this more then anyone."

"A wise decision, sir," Alfred says. "We'll attack Falcone on two fronts tonight. Gordon through the police and Batman…." Alfred trails off, almost seeming to regret bringing it up.

"By whatever means necessary," I tell him as I approach the batsuit. "Whatever Falcone is planning, it ends tonight.

"He's a spider, Bruce. Eyes everywhere, a dense web of goons poised to trap you. No one has _ever_ managed to bring him down."

"I haven't tried yet," I tell him.

* * *

 **A/N: This is definitely my shortest chapter yet. Barely over a thousand words. But I want to stick with how I'm writing these, how I separate the chapters. So, this one will just have to stay short. Sorry!**

 **Thx!**

 **AMM**


	9. Realm of Gloom

**A/N: Let's hope for another long one, or longer one!**

 **P.S. I wasn't going to post this today but since the last one was so short, I decided to post this chapter today.**

 **Thx!**

 **AMM**

* * *

I slide the envelope towards Jim as he leans over the railing, a cigarette between his fingers. He opens up the envelope and after pulling out only one document, he turns to me and says, "This….this is a silver bullet! And it's gonna put Falcone down once and for all." He takes a drag from his cigarette. "I don't want to even know where you got this." I turn and lean against the railing myself.

"No, you don't," I tell him.

"Still, I gotta know one thing," he says. "Why give this to me? Don't get me wrong-I appreciate the hell outta this. Everyone on the force will too."

I stand up straight. "I heard you were the last honest man on the force."

"No need to blow smoke. I got enough cancer coming my way as it is," he brushes off the compliment. "But thank you, honestly. Knowing this evidence will lock up Falcone….I'll sleep like a goddamn baby for once." He chuckles before turning to me. "You know, as much as I appreciate you callin' me here," I stuff my hands in my pockets. "I gotta make one thing crystal," He stands very close, the smell of his cigarette very strong. "I can't be bought. So you should know this isn't gonna change a thing about the investigation of your family." I have to clench my jaw to keep from turning cold towards him. "The Wayne's always supported the Gotham Police. So I'd like to believe there's no cloaks or daggers hidden in you closet. Until we find nothing, though, I gotta play bad cop."

"The investigation isn't the problem. It's the Wayne family name. Help me clear it."

"If your family's clean, I'll sing it from the rooftops. If they aren't, I'll still sing. You gotta understand-I'm bound to this badge." He takes another drag on his cigarette when his phone dings. "I gotta go," he tells me as he slides his phone in his pocket. "Came straight from a crime scene and I haven't been home yet. " He takes another drag before sighing. "Sometimes I think this whole city's a crime scene. And we're just walking through it." He admits dejectedly.

"What you're holding," I gesture to the envelope. "Will make walking it much safer.

"Thanks, Bruce," he says.

"Well, Lieutenant,"

"Hey, stick to 'Jim'," he says before turning and walking away. I walk away myself and get to the street before I start walking down the sidewalk.

"It's done," I say.

"Good, so is our hunt," Alfred replies through my earpiece. "The drones located Falcone downtown, a place called The Skyline Club." I turn into an alleyway. "Though, you're not dressed for that kind of party."

"Well, I can always change in the car," I tell him before hitting a button on my keys. The Ferrari in front of me darkens, the wheels change, and thrusters are revealed on the back. The batmobile sits in front of me within mere moments. I quickly step inside and rush out of the alleyway.

* * *

 **A/N: Normally, I'd cut it off here but 503 words is inexcusable so I'm gonna go ahead and keep writing.**

* * *

I glide from a nearby rooftop onto the roof of the Skyline Club. I activate my drones with a few buttons on my control panel.

"The drones cameras and scanning tech are fully functional." Alfred tells me.

"Alright, let's find Falcone," I tap on my Detective vision so I can see from the drone's cameras. Out on the balcony is a door and a guard smoking a cigarette. I maneuver the drone and look through the windows, looking over the patrons inside. I listen in momentarily to hear one of the patrons flirting with one of the guards but I grow bored and move on. I look at the top floor and see two more women talking to each other, one scolding the other for having a boyfriend who seems to be a terrible thug.

More people are sitting at the bar, some are mingling, but then I see a white rose painted on a far wall on the second floor.

"The white rose. Falcone's symbol." Alfred says through my earpiece.

"A red rose after tonight," I mutter before zooming in on a door on the second floor at the end of the hall.

"That's the most heavily guarded door in the building." Alfred remarks.

"It's gotta be Falcone's hide out."

"Well, it won't be as easy as ringing the doorbell."

I use the drone to count the guards in the main room. "Four guards, stealth isn't an option. I'll put together a plan of attack. Stand by."

I zoom in on the guy on the bottom floor, entertaining some women. Couple ways I can take this guy down. I zoom in on him then see the hanging lights just a little above him. A heavy light fixture hanging from the ceiling to take out a man furthest from my entry point. It'll work; I'll just have to throw a batarang at the wire holding up the light.

I move on to the second mobster sitting right under the walkway upstairs. He's sitting rather close to a woman, obviously distracted and unprepared for an attack. I could send the large coffee table in front of them at him it looks solid enough. Or maybe just slam his head down on it, which would work too. Guess we'll see which works better.

I move to the mobster standing next to the staircase. He's close to my entry point, strategically positioned. He should be quickly neutralized. I look around him then realize I could probably send him through the railing on the staircase. Then I go to the last one out on the balcony, smoking.

"This one might be tricky, any ideas?" Alfred asks.

"I've got it covered, Al," He's isolated from guests inside and will be easy to take down by surprise. I'll just jump at him and slam him into the railing on the balcony.

"Bruce, have you formulated your plan of attack?" Alfred asks.

"I'm going in," I tell him as I stand, activating my voice modulator

"Very good, sir." He replies. "Your turn to crash his party." I hadn't thought about it like that, but very true. Let's see if he likes it. I jump off the rooftop and glide around until I'm level with the balcony, coming out of nowhere and knocking the mobster in the head like I'd planned. I grab him, stuffing a smoke bomb in between buttons on his shirt before throwing him into the room through the doors, the smoke beginning to emit from him. I catch the man by the stairs off guard before I grab him by the neck and hurtle him towards the railing on the staircase. He crashes through it then falls down the stairs, unconscious.

The man that'd been sitting with the woman stands and begins shooting, but I jump at him and slam his head into the nice black coffee table. The man under the light fixture also begins shooting at me. I hide behind a column before whipping a batarang out and throwing it at the wire. The man dodges out of the way but it distracts him enough that I can get to him quickly. I kick him solidly in the chest and knock him into the window where he then falls to the ground unconscious.

All of the patrons go running and screaming for the exit, shouting that I'm here and they need to get out of here.

More mobsters burst out of the heavily guarded area at the back of the hallway. Three men come running at me and try to punch me, but I beat them to it, blocking and punching back, mine being far more effective. After knocking one of them unconscious and sending the other two over the railing, two more guys come running upstairs just for Falcone to bust out of the room holding a gun. He goes blazing after me, but as I leap over the edge of the walkway, he shoots his own two guys.

"Show yourself!" he shouts. "You got no goddamn right to be here!" He starts shooting the ceiling when I go under the walkway and grapple into the floor, right under Falcone. I hear him fall over as I burst through the floor. He goes running towards the room at the end of the hall as I throw a batarang into his back. He slams the door shut then I see the camera turn and focus on me.

"How 'bout this one?" I hear him say within the room. I quickly dodge to the side as he shoots a hole right through the door. "You can't sneak up on me!" I hear him shout. I pull an EMP out of my belt.

"EMP armed," Alfred tells me. Falcone then begins shooting along the wall. I quickly dodge and throw the EMP through the whole in the door, hitting Falcone right in the stomach before I hear it go off, shutting down all the power.

Falcone laughs. "Ha! You think that's gonna work?" He continues shooting through the walls. "I'm gonna light up the whole goddamn-" as he was talking, I burst through the window out in the common area and burst in through the window in his office, knocking into Falcone and forcing him to drop his gun. I pick him up by the throat as he threatens, "Get your hand of my suit!" I throw him into the wall.

"Stay down, Falcone," I warn as he drops to the ground but begins to get back up. "We can end this now."

"You got a lot to learn, kid," He tells me as he used a filing cabinet for support. He hits the pin on his lapel and an automatic machine gun drops from the ceiling. I dive down behind Falcone's desk and tap into my remote control. The drone circles around to the windows.

"Explosives armed! Fire when ready!" Alfred tells me.

I move the drone over to be looking at the wall but know when I use infrared that I'm aiming right at the gun. I fire three times, each small missile hitting its target. The drone drops down and out of sight as I get out from my cover.

Falcone is crawling towards his gun but a well-aimed batarang secures it to the floor just before he can reach it.

"Answers!" I order menacingly. "Now! Or you fall!"

"You wouldn't-" I pick him up and shove him towards the gaping hole in the wall. Holding him just on the edge.

"The chemicals! Where are they?!"

"What?"

"I found your calling card at the docks. The white rose."

"You think I wanted to lead you here?" He asks, his arm coming to grip the arm holding him. I bring up my other hand and hold him completely off the ground.

"Something reeks about this whole thing," he gasps out. "And it ain't a dead bat!" he brings his arm up with a knife but I easily knock it out of his grasp and slam my head into his. But then I hear a helicopter and a light is suddenly shining on us.

"Still want to play games?" I demand.

"We're all bein' played here….includin' you! Those chemicals you're so riled up about-they're mine, alright?" I hear the door kick in below and glance over to see GCPD snooping around. "But someone's tryin' to cut me out of the deal, because I did _not_ make that mess at the docks."

"Then who did?!"

"No! We're done!" He defies. "Gotham's watching now! Go ahead! Give 'em a show!" I see a pipe hanging down to my left, perfect for tying him up and hanging him on. Or, there's another pipe to my right, jutting out of the ground. I could end him right here. Keep him from getting back up. "I'll be walkin' free by tomorrow morning!" he brags. "Ha! Gotham!" I can't believe I even considered killing him. I told Alfred I wouldn't become an animal. I'm no murderer. I fling Falcone behind me, sending him rolling across the floor. I quickly jump over him and secure his hands behind his back before picking him up over my shoulder.

"No! No! Wait! Ah!" I push him up and hang him on the pipe coming out of the ceiling. "Ah! Christ almighty!"

"Spill it, Falcone! While you still can," I growl.

"It's….the Wayne's." My eyes widen. "They're behind all this."

"What do you mean?" I demand.

"You wanna save this city? Well, the Wayne's are the biggest gangsters in Gotham!" He nods his head towards a picture singed around the edges of Falcone, a man with his back turned and….my parents and Alfred. Then the door bursts open.

"Thanks for the assist," A woman says from behind. I look over my shoulder. "Now we only have to take one of you down! Open fire!" she shouts. They all begin shooting but I'm quick to run out the window and glide away.

* * *

 **A/N: So, I went against my own rules and combined scenes, but if you read the little authors note about five hundred words through, you'd understand why. That was just too short for a chapter so I added this second scene.**

 **P.S. I'm not going to wait two weeks to post the next chapter. Look forward to it on Thursday!**

 **P.P.S I know we're wanting Diana but Diana won't be around again until the 11th or 12th chapter. Sorry! She doesn't fit in very well until then.**

 **Thx!**

 **AMM**


	10. Realm of Shadows

**A/N: If you haven't played this game and are just reading this for the story or don't care about spoilers, then woo! The ending of that last chapter was fun! I remember my reaction when I first played through it. I couldn't believe it! But this is what I love about this game! They put such a different spin on everything that it's kind of refreshing!**

 **P.S. Last part is nothing compared to this part.**

 **Thx!**

 **AMM**

* * *

"Fire and smoke could reportedly be seen from street level. Tonight, The Skyline Club, a high-rise mafia hangout in downtown Gotham, was the arena for a clash between the notorious Batman and alleged mob boss, Carmine Falcone, who was found dangling over a fifty story drop. Bet Falcone loved that view. Though I'd say the crime boss getting his is well over due, Falcone has slipped through the laws grasp for years. But after this dramatic arrest and evidence released by the GCPD's Lieutenant Gordon, Falcone's going away for a long, long time.

"And speaking of newly uncovered criminal dealings, this brings me to the story, everyone is talking about. The Wayne Family. For generations, the big W on the Wayne Enterprises Tower was a reassuring sight. You knew that there was something pure at the heart of Gotham-that this city, for all its faults, was built by good people. But with Thomas and Martha's shiny reputation called into question, we no longer have such assurances. And even worse, it seems the apple hasn't fallen far from the tree. Gotham's 'greatest son', Bruce Wayne, seen here in the company of gangsters, may be just as crooked as his parents. In his defense, Wayne fired back, saying, 'The Wayne family has always been a cornerstone of Gotham. We have never had, and never will have, connections to organized crime.' In a world where the Wayne's, our golden family, are corrupt, who are we left with? Who can Gothamites look up to? This supposed 'hero' Batman? Only time will tell."

"Meanwhile, we'll keep digging for the truth, but the prominent feeling throughout Gotham is that the Wayne's time in the sun….is ending."

"The suit. The car. This entire cave!" a black object hits the floor, resembling that of a bat.

"Master Bruce?"

"Everything I built!" a slam echoes throughout the dark area. "I created all of this because I didn't want any more innocent people to die! If Falcone's telling the truth about my parents….then what the hell did we do this for?!"

"Bruce, I-"

"What have you been hiding from me?!" A man with white hair and glasses takes a step back. "Alfred?!"

"When your parents died, they left me as a caretaker….of their estate….their son….and their secrets. I would never betray them. Your parents were good people, Bruce. No matter what that thug Falcone told you." The older gentleman states firmly.

"Then swear to me there's no truth to it!"

* * *

"The evidence you brought me on Falcone held up….maybe I misjudged you. " A man with a cigarette between his fingers states bashfully.

* * *

"Now Batman's beating up mobsters, too. Wonder who he's after next?" A curious young woman asks herself as she stares up at her board of pictures and notes pertaining to a man who dresses like a bat.

* * *

"Hell of a view," a young man says as he finds a picture that will tear his old friend down, but will make him rise to the top as a hero of a fallen empire.

* * *

"Bruce, the Wayne name is toxic. I have to do what's best for my campaign….what's best for Gotham. I have to….distance myself." Some man says to his supposed friend, claiming he's just doing it for Gotham. Some friend he is.

* * *

"I will find the truth….along with anyone who stands in my way." A troubled young man promises himself as he feels his world begin to crumble and collapse around him.


	11. Innocent of Arkham

**A/N: I gotta say I really enjoyed that last part, despite how short it was. I liked the sorta mystery behind it, how I didn't actually come out and say who any of them were, you just had to figure it our for yourself. That was also the last chapter of the first episode, Realm of Shadows (What the previous chapter is called). Now we move on to the second episode, Children of Arkham. I'm going to continue with the same them, now making the chapters all Something of Arkham. Also, just an FYI, you'll know when this episode ends when I have a chapter pretty much just like the last one. Very anonymous and mysterious, no one's being truly revealed.**

 **Thx!**

 **AMM**

* * *

I stand before the golden plaque in the ground, **In Memory of Thomas and Martha Wayne** engraved on it. I ignore the rain. I ignore the downpour of rain that's soaked my clothes. I ignore the sirens blaring in the background. I wish I could ignore it all.

 _You….You don't have to do this…._ I hear before a gunshot sounds.

 _Only you now, Master Bruce…._ Alfred's words echo in my head.

A car pulls into the entrance of the alley and I glance over to see an umbrella open out. A moment later, Alfred hesitantly steps out and closes the door, beginning to walk towards me. I ran after he went silent earlier. My parents were good people. How could they possibly have been gangsters? And then for Alfred to keep this from me and not tell me. I just had to get out of there. My world's crashing and burning in front of my eyes.

"I thought I might find you here." He says as he comes to stand next to me. "The news was upsetting-for both of us-but….you should see this." My head is in such a fog that I hadn't noticed Alfred holding a newspaper in his hand.

 **Mob Money Behind Wayne Fortune?**

There on the cover is a picture of me standing defiantly at the press conference. "I know you come here for solitude, Bruce. More allegations about his ties to the underworld. This isn't going away." Alfred stresses. "It's all so public and messy."

I scan over the paper before looking up at Alfred, the hurt from his secret clear in my eyes, my defenses torn to pieces at my feet. Everything I've known has been revealed as a lie and the one man I knew I could rely on for anything hid it from me, allowed me to continue living this fantasy, this delusion.

"Then tell me all of this is a lie," I plead.

"I wish I could! There are no angels in Gotham, Bruce." Alfred's tone softens as I close my eyes and turn my head away from him, trying to keep myself together. "Maybe there never were."

I turn and walk away, looking back at the newspaper. "I've been dreading this day for nearly two decades," Alfred admits. "I….I hoped it would never come."

"Forget the papers!" I snarl, tossing the newspaper to the side and turning back towards Alfred, stalking back towards him. "I want to hear it from you," I point harshly at him, almost jabbing his chest as he leans back slightly.

"The truth is, they were billionaires, Bruce. You can't amass that kind of wealth without making certain moral compromises." I brush past Alfred, not wanting to believe anything he's saying. "It's just not possible. That kind of money taints you."

"You kept their secrets for them!" I accuse as I turn back to him.

"I'm trying to help you understand!" He claims.

"Then try harder!" I order harshly, using a tone I've never dared use towards Alfred. My posture is rigid and tense, my back rim-rod straight and my hands clenched into fists at my sides. Alfred's eyebrows are raised way above his glasses rims, nearly to the middle of his forehead.

But then I seem to lose all the wind in my chest and my posture slackens as I fold my arms over my chest.

"Hill greased the wheels of politics," Alfred begins quietly. "Falcone was the muscle. Thomas….legitimized the whole thing with his name." I look to Alfred hopelessly, feeling so lost. "Your father, Hamilton Hill, and Falcone….they were partners." Alfred's face is set in determination. Whether it's for me to understand or for him to continue telling me, I don't know. I look away as he continues talking. "Nothing happened in Gotham without them knowing."

"Working with Falcone? _And_ Hill?" I ask disbelievingly as I uncross my arms. "I expected irregular accounting. Not a pact with the devil," I say angrily as I turn towards Alfred once more.

This image of my father, the perfect man, is tainted-no, _ruined_. To learn that my father wasn't the amazing man that supported Gotham and loved his family, but instead was a gangster, making dirty money with two terrible people-it makes me want to go home and hide myself away forever, never allow anyone to see me again in fear that they'll reveal to be the complete opposite of what I've always believed them to be.

"Your father was a good man in many ways," Alfred insists. "But this was his undoing. I want you to know, I had my suitcases ready." Alfred states defiantly, boldly, telling me that he was so unhappy he was willing to leave. "I couldn't stand to be around your father anymore. But then they were killed." Alfred says quietly, glancing to the plaque.

"And you were all alone and I just couldn't walk out that door." I feel a brief pause in my anger and hurt, the feeling of betrayal as Alfred reminds me that he's always been here for me, he's always been my family, all I've ever truly needed. He and Diana, but Alfred's been with me since before I can remember.

"Everything I did-everything I've ever done-was out of love for you," Alfred tells me as he approaches, his eyes pleading for me to understand. His voice nearly breaks as he speaks again. "I hope you can forgive me."

I remain silent for a moment before saying, "How can I hold this against you? You and Diana are all I've got, Alfred. And you've been here; stuck with me far longer then Diana's been around.

"Thank you," Alfred says sincerely. "I won't let you down again," He says determinedly before he looks at the alley.

"This is the first time I've been back since that night." He tells me. "When the police called me to collect you, I thought they'd finally arrested your father. I couldn't believe a lowlife thug like Joe Chill would have the audacity to rob and kill Thomas Wayne. He was simply too well known. Too….too big. Yet, there it was." I walk in front of Alfred and stare down the alley. What if I was so stuck in the story I wanted to believe, that I overlooked what really happened? With all that's come to light, did someone actually kill my parents for more then a robbery?

"If my father was that deep in crime, he would have had enemies." I say as I lean down in front of the plaque.

"Well, it's a fair assumption. You don't think…." Alfred trails off when I don't respond. "You always said it was a simple mugging. In twenty years, you've never wavered from that story."

"I can recall every moment of that night in vivid detail. But maybe that's wrong," I say as I stand up.

"Sometimes we block out things we don't want to face," Alfred suggests, seeming to have read my mind.

"Maybe there was some detail I overlooked." I step around the plaque before glancing at the Wayne Memorial Auditorium across the street.

"I loved that movie. Saw it countless times at that theater. How long did it play there?"

"Only when you wanted to see it, Bruce. Your mother arranged the special screenings personally." A small smile graces my lips. My mother spoiled me rotten, providing the best and loving me as much as she possibly could. Her passion and love reminds me of Diana. That's probably why I'm so drawn to Diana. She's just like mom. God, I miss her.

"I never knew that. She was always so good to me." I then look back down the alley and to the small little entrance Joe Chill must've come from.

"I want him standing here. Right now." I say aloud as I imagine the man walking towards the entrance of the alley my parents and I were just about to enter.

"And what would the Batman do with his parents' killer?" Alfred asks curiously. "The possibilities are frightening."

"I'd only want to ask him one question. Why? My parents could've given him anything. Why would he just shoot them?"

"He was stabbed to death in prison," Alfred reminds me. "No one mourns Joe Chill, Bruce," I approach Alfred. "Think back to that night-as hard as it might be to do so." I nod before seeing the defiling graffiti on the surrounding walls.

I then see dueling guns and remember those being there the night my parents were killed. The image of my father jumping in front of my mom and I to protect us illuminates my mind. "He just wanted to protect us." I murmur, though loud enough that Alfred hears.

"He thought he was invincible," Alfred agrees gently.

"I always wanted to be brave. Just like him." I admit.

"And you are," Alfred insists. "He would be so proud to see that you took a different path."

As I approach the plaque once more, Alfred moves to stand slightly behind me. "Where exactly does the memory end?" he asks.

"With my father pleading-'you don't have to do this.' Then the gun fires."

"And after that?"

I shake my head and walk away. "Huh, there are considerable gaps in that recollection." Alfred points out.

"Maybe, but do I really want to know?" I think back to that night. I hear my fathers pleas, my mother agreeing to give anything Chill wanted. And then the gunshots. But I force myself to think back to between mom's cries and the gunshots.

 _Bruce, stay back!_ Dad orders as he moves to be in front of my mother and I even more.

 _Take whatever you want!_ Mom cried.

 _Nothing personal, just business._ Chill says cruelly. _He told me you had it coming._

 _You….you don't have to do this!_ Dad pleads when Chill cocks his gun. I can see it all before me. Dad begins to run at Chill but Chill doesn't hesitate to unload two bullets into my father's chest.

 _Thomas!_ Mom cries as blood splattered on me from dad's gunshot wounds.

 _Tell Falcone….he's making a mistake_. Dad says as he fights for air. But Chill heartlessly puts a bullet in Dad's head, straight through his eye. More blood sprays onto my clothes. Mom dodges around me but Chill immediately empties his gun into her chest and stomach. She falls over beside dad as I drop to my knees.

 _Bruce….Bruce._ She muttered as her and dad's tickets floated to the ground.

 _Mom?_ I ask as she stops moving. Chill approaches my father and pulls out his wallet before coming to mom and yanking the pearls off from around her neck. Many of them scatter to the ground around me.

I break down sobbing between my two dead parents as Chill comes to stand in front of me, one last bullet in his gun, which is aimed at my face. Having just lost everything, I look up at him and my eyes show fear of dying but the longing to die and join my parents wherever they went. I didn't want to live without them. There are still days that I wish I'd never survived that night. Chill had left at the sound of sirens, leaving me traumatized and haunted for the rest of my life.

"Bruce?" Alfred's voice shakes me out of it. "Are you all right?"

"It wasn't a mugging." I tell him. "They were assassinated. And Carmine Falcone knows why." I growl as I turn and leave the alley.

* * *

 **A/N: Woowee! Wasn't that fun?!**

 **P.S. I've started working on the next chapter and Diana's back since some of you were missing her:P Anyways, I wasn't intending on adding lemons to this story, but I'm not objected to it. The thing is, right now, how I have the next chapter going, I could easily slip one in. Do you guys want that or no? Because I can do it, I can not do it, it's really up to you guys so let me know!**

 **Thx!**

 **AMM**


	12. Irresponsibility of Arkham

**A/N: I've been given coffee after not having slept for the past 3 days or so. I'm so tired I could probably fall to the ground right now and fall asleep if I didn't just start drinking the coffee.**

 **P.S. You guys wanted more Diana, so I've finally brought Diana back for a little while!**

 **Thx!**

 **AMM**

* * *

The elevator slides open and many cops brush past Harvey and I.

I step out of the elevator and adjust my tie as we begin to walk down the hall.

"Getting you in to see Falcone like this-I don't have to tell you how many rules we're breaking. Don't get me wrong, I'm always here for you," except for when my name receives negative attention it seems. "But this could land us both in hot water. I pulled all the strings I had with the Lieutenant. This better not come back to bite us."

"Look, I get that, Harv, okay? And it means a lot to me."

Harvey sighs. "I know it does Bruce. Doesn't make it any easier. The last time we brushed shoulders with Falcone, the press made us pay." We go to walk around the corner when Harvey steps in front of me with arms folded. "At least tell me what this is about."

"This is a personal matter, Harvey," I tell him. His eyebrows knit in confusion.

Harvey uncrosses his arms and steps back. "Fine, fine, don't tell me. But I hope none of this comes back to bite us. I don't want headlines taking away from my debate with Hill." Oh no, of course not. Nothing about ruining Harvey's chance for office. None of that, definitely not.

"Gentlemen," I hear from behind me. I turn and see Gordon approaching us. "We've finally put Falcone in his cage," Jim states proudly as he shakes our hands. "Thanks to the information you gave me, Bruce, he won't ever get out." I mentally wince. I didn't tell Harvey about this.

"Oh, I'm sorry-information? What information?" Harvey crosses his arms again.

"Oh….I assumed you knew. I was going to contact your office first thing."

"I gave him some evidence against Falcone," I explain vaguely to Harvey.

"More like a catalogue to his entire criminal empire." Gordon corrects. "It's a case that'll put Falcone away for life."

"Is that a fact?" Harvey asks, sounding like he's trying to hide how upset he is about being kept out of the loop.

"It's the reason I said yes to this….unorthodox request." Gordon begins walking away when a cop stops him.

I recognize her from the rooftop a couple nights ago and from the warehouse and Skyline Club. She seems to be one of the top cops if I see her at the front of all the action. "Nice job bringing in Falcone. That son of a bitch better not get off again," she states angrily, crossing her arms.

"He's not getting off the hook, Renee. Not this time." Gordon continues walking down the hall and Harvey and I go to follow when the cop stops me.

"Mr. Wayne? Sergeant Renee Montoya. I just wanted to say, some of us police support you. Despite what the media is saying,"

"Thanks sergeant," she blushes slightly and grins before I nod to her as a goodbye and jog to catch up with Harvey and Gordon.

"We're keeping Falcone in the infirmary. He's lucky he didn't get roughed up more. I could tell Batman wanted to kill him, but he held back. He cares about doing the right thing." Gordon says passionately.

"Whoever he is behind that mask, I'd say Gotham's lucky to have him."

"Yeah, it's great to know he's out there watching over the city," Harvey says, adding in his two cents worth. We round another corner and see two cops standing outside of a closed door.

"Alright. Falcone's inside. Say what you gotta say. We'll be out here." Gordon tells me as the two cops leave the door. I walk up to the door and take a deep breath before opening the door and slipping inside.

I see Falcone lying in a hospital bed, unconscious. The machines beeping, keeping track of his heartbeat, he has oxygen being supplied to his lungs when his eyes crack open.

"The hell? Bruce Wayne?" I step closer to the foot of the bed. "You must have some clout. My own wife can't get in to see me. Good thing I'll be outta here in a week," he says confidently. "Just like every other time they tried to put me away."

"You look like you tangled with the wrong guy," I state, crossing my arms.

"Ha, this is nothing. You shoulda seen me before I became the boss. I'd show up all beat to hell. Your father would sew me back together." I turn away at the mention of my father. "Yeah, that's right. Tommy and I were close," Falcone brags. "More than friends. More like cousins!" he continues to brag. "Going back decades."

I turn back to Falcone, clearly angry. "Until you sent Joe Chill to kill him." I accuse.

"Ah, so that's what this is really about? The pup digging up a twenty year old killi-"

"Two killings," I cut him off. "And they were _never_ forgotten."

"You and me," his hand loosely gestures between us from where it lies on the bed. "We're practically family. I thought you'd have figured that out by now. I tried to get through to you at Dent's party. Maybe I should have spelled it out."

"We are not family, Falcone." I turn back to him. "I'm _nothing_ like you."

"If you're anything like Thomas Wayne, then we're not so different. Your father. Hill. And me. We ran this city. Still do." He suddenly coughs and winces. "Goddamn this pain. Can't think through it. Morphine's on the side there," he rolls his head to the table set up beside his bed. "Be a good boy and help Uncle Carmine out, huh?" I look at the needle, full of morphine, enough to get revenge. Carmine begins to pant as I approach the syringe. I could hurt him, leave him in pain or take the syringe and empty it into his bloodstream, killing him. Or, I could ease his pain. I do still need answers.

Once again horrified that I would even consider killing someone, I'm a little quick to pick up the syringe. I calm as I walk around the edge of the bed and to his IV pole. I begin to insert the fluid into the correct spot, making sure I don't overdue it.

"Forty years I keep my veins clean of any of that gunk. But you never forget the tender kiss." His eyes slide shut for a second before reopening and looking to me. "It'd be so easy to give me the whole vial, wouldn't it? Enough there to put an old dog down forever." I pull the needle from the port.

"Of course, then you'd never know the whole story." Falcone's eyes slide shut once more and he seems to relax as the medicine kicks in. "How much of your parents do you have in you?" he asks. "What kind of son did Thomas Wayne make?"

"I'm not a murderer," I tell him, setting the syringe down.

"No, you're not. That's why you were kept in the dark. Much better, kid. Thank you…." I sit in the chair beside the bed. "Gesture like that, reminds me of your mother. Your father may have been the doctor, but Martha-she had the human touch. Think you got more of her in you, to tell the truth. There's a kindness in ya."

"I lost her so young. I hardly remember anything about her." I confess quietly.

"She had steel in her, did Martha. She was the only one that had a hold on your father."

I stand suddenly, remembering why I'm here. "Until _you_ hired an assassin to kill them both."

"What, you really think _I_ hired Chill?" I stand at the end of the bed with my arms folded tightly across my chest. "Sure, I worked with Joe Chill from time to time. Put a button on someone, he'd take 'em out. But I _never_ hired that hit on your parents."

"So who did?" I demand.

"You can't trust anyone in Gotham, least of all those you call friend. Your parents learned that the har-" The door opens and tow gunshots go off, each hitting Falcone. One hits him in the chest, the other in the forehead. The heart monitor goes dead instantly. My eyes widen and I turn to see Detective Montoya holding a smoking gun in front of her.

"They're waiting for you in hell!" She shouts! I can tell something's off but in the rush of it all, I can't tell what. I see Gordon running for us in the hall and see Montoya turning to face him, but I quickly charge at her, pulling her arm sharply behind her back and forcing her face to the ground. The gun clatters to the floor a few feet away. "The bastard had to die!" Upon closer inspection, Montoya has bulging blue veins surrounding her mouth and her lips are dark grey. Very unnatural.

"Hands in the air!" A cop calls from the hallway.

"Stand down!" Gordon orders. "Get a doctor! Secure this floor!" I quickly stand from Montoya. I look to Falcone lying dead with his blood pooling on the bed beneath him while Gordon continues to bark orders. So close. I was so close to knowing who wanted my parents dead. I cross my arms and put my head in my hand. What a mess.

Gordon leads me out of the room and to an interrogation room, a couple cops stumbling behind us with Montoya. They seat her in a chair and put a pair of handcuffs around her wrists. She slumps forward, her head making a hard thud as it hits the table. Gordon reaches up and flips off the camera before lighting a cigarette, looking greatly stressed and old for his age. He takes a long drag as he looks to Montoya when Harvey walks in.

"We are in deep shit," he says, still facing the door. Then he turns to face Gordon and I. "I've bought us some time, but not much. Words gonna get out sooner or later." I cross my arms when Harvey slams his hands down on the table, Gordon jumping slightly. "Why would she _do_ something like this? We had Gotham's biggest crime lord in our grasp! So close! We were so close!"

"I don't, I don't know-I hardly recognize her when she burst in. She was so different from the woman we met in the hall."

"Ahh, it's a disgrace. Another officer gone rogue." This angers Gordon as he throws his cigarette to the ground, moving from his position against the wall.

"It just doesn't make any sense! She'd never do anything to hurt the department." Gordon looks up, his eyebrows creased with worry but instead of looking to Harvey who can do something, he looks to me.

"Falcone's case meant justice for a thousand unnamed victims. And now it is a PR disaster." I watch quietly from the corner I'm standing in. I sympathize with Gordon. One of his best cops killed someone he's been trying to lock up for years and it's all because something was obviously wrong with her. Harvey on the other hand is too concerned about his image and what this'll mean for his campaign and I don't appreciate what all this is doing to him. If this is how Harvey is going to be in office, I'm starting to regret my decision to back and fund him.

"How can I run against corruption when our own cops are redecorating the precinct with their prisoners' brains? Listen, we gotta get out in front of this. We gotta spin it as best we can. Issue a statement saying we have the shooter in custody." Harvey tells Gordon who still looks upset. "The details are coming in and we're investigating. The usual."

I finally step in. "Slow down, Harvey. We need the facts first."

"The simple fact is she walked in and shot him." Harvey states angrily. Harvey's never been one to look so backwardly at this. He's supposed to be the one wanting the whole story, not demanding that she punished for the simple act without knowing why and Gordon seems to read my mind as he steps closer to Harvey, looking up at the slightly taller man.

"Then we need the complex facts like how and why!" The silent argument is cut off when a cop opens the door.

"Lieutenant….Mr. District Attorney….Faclone's lawyers are here."

"Christ," Gordon mutters.

"I can delay them for a little while. But we still need answers." Harvey tells Gordon before walking out. Right before Gordon leaves, Montoya groans a little.

"Tell me if she says anything. I have to know why she did this." Gordon requests before closing the door behind him.

Montoya continues moaning and groaning as she begins to come around. I slip my hand into my pocket and pull out my earpiece.

"Alfred-Falcone's been murdered."

"Good God-" Alfred quietly replies as he processes the words.

"I'm looking into it, but I'll need access to the Batcomputer for anything I find."

My phone beeps before Alfred says, "Connection secured."

"Alfred, I'm going to try and confirm some suspicions of mine."

I turn on the high-powered camera that'll help see the more hard to find details. I zoom in on Montoya's mouth and the still clear blue veins around the edges. But then I see something on her neck. "A fresh injection site." I mutter to myself, seeing some sort of liquid that's seeped out of it. "That doesn't look like blood. It's a lot darker and has a bluish tint to it.

I stand up straight and turn the camera off. "Alfred, I think I found the substance. Analyze and forward me the result."

"Of course. I will be in touch as soon as I have the results." I hear the cuffs start to jangle as Montoya sits up. I look at her as I slip my phone in my pocket. She looks generally confused and afraid.

"Where am I? Mister Wayne?" She looks up to me with pleading eyes. Then she seems to notice the cuffs on her as she raises them up in front of her eyes, blinking multiple times as if she were trying to wake up. "What's going on?" As I continue to look at her, she looks down and puts her hands in her lap. "I got this awful feeling something terrible happened."

I pull out the extra chair and sit down. "Sergeant, you have to think. What do you remember?" She stares at the table before realization washes over her face.

"Oh God-Falcone….I was hoping it wasn't real." She looks to me helplessly.

"I believe you were drugged, Sergeant," I tell her.

"I-it would explain a lot of it. Listen, you have to believe me. I talk big about hurting thugs like Falcone-but I would never- _never_ -betray the Lieutenant. Everything is so-foggy. I remember a sharp pain."

I lean forward and rest my elbows on the table. "There's an injection site on your neck." I reveal.

"Then I just felt light-like I could do whatever I wanted. No guilt. No consequence." She looks at the cuffs on her wrists again. "There was a voice in my ear insisting Falcone was gonna get off and all I knew was that I had to stop that. I had to. No matter what. The reasons why I shouldn't-they were a million miles away."

"Did you see a face? Could you ID a suspect?" I ask.

"I-I don't think so."

"You must remember some detail. Try," I push.

She shakes her head and closes her eyes. "I remember a hand on my arm. Guiding me. Like a parent with a child. The voice-it was saying something about 'revolution.'" I lean back at the end. Revolution?

"Cobblepot said something similar," I mutter when the door opens. Gordon rushes to Montoya when he sees that she's awake.

"I'm so sorry, Lieutenant." She says, beginning to cry. Gordon kneels beside her. "I've let you down."

"We've stalled Falcone's lawyers for now. But they'll be back." Harvey says. "How is she? Did she tell you anything?"

"Don't worry about that now," Gordon says as he tries to soothe the crying cop.

"I found evidence that she was drugged. A fresh injection site on her neck." I tell Harvey but Montoya had quieted to silent sobs so she and Gordon hear me.

"I was out of my mind, Lieutenant. Please believe me!"

"Hey, I do! Of course I do!" he soothes before turning to the cop standing at the door. "Get forensics in here now!" the cop nods and runs off.

"She remembers a voice saying something about revolution."

"That's not much to go on," Gordon says.

"Now, if you're bringing forensics in, let's get Bruce out." I nod and walk past Harvey and out into the hall. I head towards the elevator and ride quietly to the main floor with a couple other cops on high alert. I walk out into the main entrance.

"Alfred, I've got a lead on whoever's behind this." I say quietly.

"Bruce!" I hear behind me. I stop and look over my shoulder as Vicki Vale comes up to me. Great. "What are you doing here? My friends in the GCPD have been telling stories-about some kind of lock down?"

"I'm sorry, Vicki. I don't have time," I turn and walk away.

"Don't brush me off-" She jogs to catch up to me before falling into stride beside me. "Word is there were shots fired-near where Falcone was being held. Know anything about that? You must've been back there when it happened."

"Where did you get that?" I brush off and avoid the question.

"So it's true?" I stop right before the front doors as Vicki turns and stops in front of me.

"No, I didn't say that."

"Word is, you turned over enough dirt on Falcone to put him in Blackgate Prison for life. A day after he showed up at your house. And now you're here." She steps closer to me. You can't afford to be associated with another scandal. I can keep your name out of whatever we print, but you need to give me something I can use. Who fired the shots? A cop? I can tell by the way you're brushing it off that something happened." I know Vicki will remember me leaving her, but I can't let her snoop around like this.

"Please-get out of my way, Vicki. I'm in a hurry."

"Hmm, disappointing. Maybe you have more to do with this than I thought." I hear from behind me but knowing she's just trying to make me stay, I keep walking.

~Diana's POV~

I shut off the shower and reach for the towel. I quickly dry myself off before stepping out. After taking a smaller towel and wrapping my hair, I wrap my body and begin my nightly ritual.

"Hey, Diana," I hear Kal call for me.

"Yeah?"

"Uh, you might want to come see this!" I quickly dress, pulling on one of Bruce's old t-shirts that smells just like him and so comforting and a pair of shorts before dashing out of my room. As I approach the small living room, I can hear the newscaster on the TV.

"Earlier today, information was revealed about Gotham's favorite son, Bruce Wayne. Evidence has surfaced that the Golden Family of Gotham, isn't so golden after all. Here's a clip of what happened earlier." I come to stand next to Kal with wide eyes and his face mirrors my expression as the screen changes to what was supposed to be an innocent press conference about the new mental facility being built in Martha and Thomas Wayne's name. Bruce has put so much time and money into this project.

"But Mr. Wayne! This morning, the Globe received evidence of an off-shore account managed by Carmine Falcone and your father, Thomas Wayne."

"What exactly are you implying?" Bruce grinds out.

"Transactions connected to organize crime, going back years….and continuing to this day. The paper trail ties your family directly to the mob." I gasp in surprise. Bruce would never have any connections to Carmine Falcone. "Care to comment?" the reporter asks smugly, noticing that he seems to have pinched a nerve with Bruce.

Bruce takes a deep breath before looking straight at the reporter. "And did anyone else get this evidence?" he asks.

"The Globe, the Gazette, we all did!" The barely controlled chaos breaks out into a mad dash to get Bruce's attention with the next question about his family playing dirty and Wayne Enterprises and Legacy being built on dirty money.

"I think you should check your source!" Bruce has to practically shout. "It sounds to me like an intern is finally putting their creative writing minor to good use!" And with that, Bruce is ushered off the stage by the man standing next to him. Harvey Dent, I believe.

Then it switches back to the newscaster. "Just earlier this evening, fire and smoke could reportedly be seen from street level. Tonight, The Skyline Club, a high-rise mafia hangout in downtown Gotham, was the arena for a clash between the notorious Batman and alleged mob boss, Carmine Falcone, who was found dangling over a fifty story drop. Bet Falcone loved that view. Though I'd say the crime boss getting his is well over due, Falcone has slipped through the laws grasp for years. But after this dramatic arrest and evidence released by the GCPDs Lieutenant Gordon, Falcone's going away for a long, long time.

"And speaking of newly uncovered criminal dealings, this brings me to the story, everyone is talking about. The Wayne Family. For generations, the big W on the Wayne Enterprises Tower was a reassuring sight. You knew that there was something pure at the heart of Gotham-that this city, for all its faults, was built by good people. But with Thomas and Martha's shiny reputation called into question, we no longer have such assurances. And even worse, it seems the apple hasn't fallen far from the tree. Gotham's 'greatest son', Bruce Wayne, seen here in the company of gangsters," a picture shows in the top corner of Bruce scowling at a balding man in a fancy suit, flocked by others with dark sunglasses, turtle neck sweaters and blazers, with his hand held out and a greasy smile on his face, "may be just as crooked as his parents. In his defense, Wayne fired back, saying, 'The Wayne family has always been a cornerstone of Gotham. We have never had, and never will have, connections to organized crime.' In a world where the Wayne's, our golden family, are corrupt, who are we left with? Who can Gothamites look up to? This supposed 'hero' Batman? Only time will tell.

"Meanwhile, we'll keep digging for the truth, but the prominent feeling throughout Gotham is that the Wayne's time in the sun….is ending." The newcaster wishes everyone a good night and then some late night TV switches on.

"Oh, Bruce," I run back to my room and scour the bed for my phone, swearing that I left it there when I spot it on the floor, peeking out from under the bed. I quickly grab for it and dial Bruce's number. The phone rings 5 times before Bruce picks it up.

"Hey, Princess," he says quietly. I can immediately tell that he's upset and frustrated.

"Hey, Baby," I whisper. "I saw what happened on TV,"

"Oh, you saw that. At least I don't have to explain it then."

"How are you doing? Honestly."

"If I weren't so frustrated, I'd try to assure you I'm fine, but honestly, Princess, I'm so damn angry. I've been led to believe all these years that my parents were good people, that they were the one good thing in this damn city and I find out today that all that's a lie, that my parents were," he pauses and I hear him take a deep breath. "A lie."

"Bruce-"

"And Alfred knew! Alfred knew that they were friends with gangsters, that they did bad things, that the Wayne fortune is built on dirty money and he didn't tell me! He let me figure it all out from reporters that somehow found this information." Alfred was like a father to Bruce. I would be upset if something as big as this was kept from me too.

"I forgive him, you and him are all I have, but I'm still so upset." There's a pause before Bruce starts talking again, much quieter, barely a whisper. "I went to the ally today. All those years ago, all I had remembered were my mother's pleas and the gunshots but this morning, I forced myself to really think of what happened that night. And I remembered so much more. I remembered Dad mentioning Falcone and that Chill had nearly shot me before he heard sirens. I had been so focused on my parents being murdered as a robbery gone wrong because that's what it'd been made to look like, but it was actually an assassination. So I paid a visit to Falcone." Bruce's voice turned menacing.

"Bruce, you didn't-"

"No, but I wanted to at first." He admits. "He was in the GCPD, in one of the infirmary rooms because of the beating I'd given him at the Skyline Club. I accused him of killing my parents but he explained it all and part of me wants to believe him. He said that he was like a cousin to my father, that he had never ordered the hit on my parents. But right as he was about to tell me who might have, a cop came into the room and shot him dead before aiming at me. I didn't think, I just tackled her to the ground but-"

"Bruce, stop and take a breath. All of this is happening too fast, even for you. It's ok. Just take a deep breath and try to relax, if only for a moment." I hear Bruce take a deep breath and try to calm down but I can hear his erratic breathing still.

"I-I can't. I have too much energy. I need a few hours in the training room."

I know I have a mission right now, but for a little while, Bruce is more important. "Give me just a moment, Bruce." I put the phone down then jog out to Kal who's moved to be sitting on the couch, flipping channels but still looking worked up.

"How is he doing?"

"Not good. Apparently it's all true and Alfred kept it from him. He's not happy."

"No, I would assume he isn't."

"I'm going to go see him. It won't be for long but he's working himself up and can't seem to relax. I'll be back later." Normally Kal would try to dissuade us from leaving, but he just nods, knowing one of the most powerful and important members of the league, despite being human, is not himself right now. I grab my phone and hang up, not giving any explanation to Bruce and quickly request transport.

I materialize in the Batcave but don't see or hear Bruce down here. I quickly run up the stairs, only just now realizing that I'm not wearing anything other then Bruce's t-shirt and a pair of shorts. The clock in the library moves out of the way and there's Bruce, staring at his phone. He looks up at me as I run to him and wrap my arms around his chest.

Bruce releases a shaky sigh before wrapping his arms around me and pressing his head to my shoulder. He doesn't cry, but he continues breathing heavily and unsteadily, his grip almost unbearably tight.

I let him hold me as long as he needs to, knowing Bruce just needs something stable to grapple onto, something he can rely on to not let him fall completely.

"Come here, Bruce. Come sit down with me." His grip lessens as he unwraps himself from around me. I take his hand and lead him to the couch, allowing him to sit before I sit down beside him, folding my legs underneath me. I put my arm around the back of the couch, my fingers finding their way in the hair at the nape of Bruce's neck where I scratch comfortingly. I look at Bruce and he's staring across the room at the painting of him and his family hanging above the fireplace.

"Hey," he tilts his head towards me slightly to acknowledge he heard me. "You know they loved you, right? That you were their world?" I bring my other hand up to brush my fingers through his disheveled hair.

"I know, but why-I can't understand why they would do these things. Deals with crime bosses, dirty money, lies to build their empire. I always doubted we were totally clean in every single aspect, what empire is, but I never knew it was like this. That it was this bad." His eyes slide to look at me and I can see the broken little boy staring back. I lean forward and gently press my lips to his. He kisses back, lips soft against mine before his hands slide into my hair, holding me to him as his kiss demands more of me, becoming rougher and more passionate in his attempt to escape reality, if only for a little while. Who am I to deny him this reprieve?

He stands and I follow after him, his hands moving to grab my hips as my own slide to grip tightly at the front of his white button down shirt. His kisses move onto my neck and I gasp at the teasing nips his teeth sneak out to deliver upon the soft skin of my neck. Grasping for the buttons on his shirt, I quickly undo them as he slides his hands beneath my shirt, running over the skin of my stomach and the small of my back. The moment his shirt is open, he's pulling my shirt up and over my head, growling at the sight of my bare chest.

He pulls his shirt off as I wrap my arms around his neck, reconnecting our mouths before he picks me up, giving me perfect access to grind against him. His arms wrap around my back as I hold on tightly to his shoulders, rolling my hips into his as we continue to kiss passionately. He sets me on the edge of the pool table so he can descend my body, covering my chest, my navel, my hips, before reaching the waistband of my shorts. He kneels in front of me, pulling my shorts down my legs. I stand long enough for him to get them off of me before I sit back on the edge of the table.

In this frantic rush we've begun, neither of us have bothered to slow down for anything but as Bruce comes back to me, his actions slow, his kisses slow, and his entire focus shifts to savoring as he kisses up the inside of my thighs before reaching the apex and licking all the way up my most sensitive part. I lean back on one arm and shove the hand of the opposite arm into his hair, holding him to me as he licks and suck, nipping occasionally to make my breath catch and biting to make me cry out. His right arm hooks under my leg and holds me to him while the other snakes up my chest to grasp at my breasts. My hips can't seem to help but roll into him, accepting the pleasure he's giving me wholeheartedly.

It's not too long before I'm gripping tightly at the hair on the back of Bruce's head, rolling my hips with his tongue, and calling out his name in a mantra. With one last suck and nip, I fall apart and Bruce drinks me down the best he can, not complaining once when my thighs lock tightly around his head.

Once I begin to come down from my high, Bruce pries my thighs apart, kissing back up my body as he rises from his knees. When he leans in to kiss me, I bite as his lower lip while my hands reach for his belt buckle, my breathing still erratic against his mouth with no signs of evening soon.

The moment his belt is loose, his pants are being pushed down his hips along with his boxers and he's picking me up again. My arms instinctively return to being wrapped around his neck as he angles himself to slide into me when he lowers me down slightly, causing me to moan appreciatively. He walks back towards the couch raising and dropping me as he walks, making me writhe and whine in his grip.

He makes it to the couch and wastes no time laying me on top of it, pushing the decorative pillows off and plowing into me. He hips snap into mine as he releases all his pent up energy on my willing body. Bruce ruts against me like a wild animal and I can't find a good place to put my hands as I cry out and arch into him, my body accepting the sharp pleasure and slight twinge of pain from his rough motions gratefully.

"Uh! Uh! Uh! Bruce!" I cry as my hands find his back, scratching deeply, narrowly missing his gunshot wound while my world rips apart and shatters into millions of pleasure filled pieces. His teeth clench and he hisses through them, his movements somehow gaining even more power. He continues to ravage me and power himself into me, as I chant his name when he suddenly picks me up and rolls us over, allowing me to settle on top of him as he relaxes back against the couch, hands on the tops of my thighs. I place my hands on his chest and push myself to be sitting upright before attempting to continue his bone-jarring movements but I can't seem to manage the same level of intensity. However, Bruce's mouth falls open and one of his hands reaches desperately behind him to grab at the couch cushion.

I alternate between bouncing on him and rolling my hips, my eyes remaining in the back of my head as each movement pushes him against the special spot deep inside of me. Feeling me tighten again, his hips begin to lift and meet mine, slamming up into me as I put my hands behind me to rest on his knees and give him the perfect view of him sliding home every time before I break apart again. I begin to fall backwards, my body going limp, when Bruce sits up and holds us together, his hips continuing to pump up into me, helping elongate my pleasure. His grip turns bruising as his hand slides around from my thigh to my hip, holding me tightly to him before he finally finds his own release and finishes, his body tightening under me and his hips jerking with each string of release inside of me. I groan, fully accepting all his body is giving me as we both collapse back against the couch.

We remain connected as we catch our breath. Minutes later, when we've calmed, I lift my head from his chest and see him looking at the ceiling distractedly. I kiss directly over his heart and his eyes shift to me, the intensity shocking me for a moment before he hugs me tightly to him. I hold onto him as well, offering my support as we huddle together to keep the bad things of the world out, at least for now.

* * *

 **Well, now I'm all hyper from drinking coffee so I can just crash and burn later and make this exhaustion even worse then it already is. Ah, you just gotta love being an insomniac!**

 **Thx!  
AMM**


	13. Novice of Arkham

**A/N: So, I'm working on adding to chapter 12 so you guys can see Diana. I mentioned something about her a couple chapters ago and I just haven't had the time to finish so I'll eventually repost last chapter so Diana is in it.  
**

 **P.S. The first sentence or so is a little different from the game**

 **Thx!**

 **AMM**

* * *

I walk down the steps, towards the batcomputer and notice Alfred standing in front of it, reading the information on the main screen.

"Either Cobblepot drugged Montoya himself, or someone else is using his revolutionary rhetoric." I say as I come to stand by Alfred. "Either way, I need to find him. Let's put our drones in the air and start a search." I hit a few keys on the keyboard. "I'll run a trace on his cell. In the meantime, we have to find out what we can do about this drug." I continue typing things into the computer, this time trying to find anything I can on the drug used on Montoya.

"The computer's been analyzing the chemicals from Montoya's bloodstream."

"Throw that up on the monitor," I request. "The residue I scanned on Montoya is similar to the nerve agent I found at the docks. Let's see what we got," I sit down as my chair rises out of the floor.

"It's ironic that Falcone died at the hands of someone drugged with his chemicals. Who'd have guessed that's how he'd meet his maker? Prone in his sick bed, surrounded by police who were ordered to protect him."

"Murder at the hands of Montoya-that's not justice." I tell Alfred, looking at him over my shoulder.

"Whoever did this was judge, jury, and executioner-no one should act as all three. I hope he told you something before he was killed." I turn back towards the computer.

"Practically family, he said."

"Family?" Alfred asks, sounding shocked. "Funny, I don't recall any Sunday dinners with the mob."

I shake my head, knowing Falcone didn't do it. I shouldn't believe him, but my instinct tells me to and I'm going to follow my instinct. "It wasn't Falcone that called the hit."

"Yes, I suppose that makes sense," Alfred says slowly. "Your father, Hill, and Falcone would have balanced each other out."

A formula pops up on the computer screen, granting me the opportunity to change subjects. I'm still not used to my father being so easily associated with a crime boss. "The computer has pinpointed reference points on the two compounds." I click on the base compound.

"The men at the docks were doused with the base chemicals-the reaction was….messy. They were out of control." I clicked back and then to the drug used on Montoya. "This refined drug is like a weapon: it only took a small injection to strip Montoya of her moral filters and make her act on her base impulses." I need more information.

I begin typing again as I say, "Both compounds seem stable, but they're quick to fall apart. Whoever processed it, knew what they were doing." I sit back and cross my arms across my chest, looking at the formulas.

"What could the creators of such a drug possibly have in mind? Fighting your wars is one thing….but drugging others to fight them for you…."

"With this drug, they can exploit anyone's baser impulses. The things they would otherwise control." I sit forward once more.

"Your drones are in position to triangulate Cobblepot's position." Alfred tells me. I begin typing commands for each drone. I then turn in my chair and stand up, approaching the holographic image of Gotham. I watch as the drone in west Gotham hovers over a large building and suddenly, Oz can be heard shouting," Find her! Find her now!" Who? "Send a strong message!"

The drone in the more suburban area hovers in the middle of a neighborhood. "Bring me her head," Oz can be heard demanding. Who is he after?

The final drone in east Gotham hovers over another neighborhood, a poorer neighborhood. The message is more broken up and fuzzy. "And don't you go making-or I'll-alright?" Oz cut out multiple times. But based off the three areas, I'm able to pinpoint where Oz is.

"The Skyline Club? Jesus. Didn't even wait for Falcone's body to get cold, did you Oz?" The city disappears as I start to walk away.

"Going to speak with him, Bruce?" Alfred asks. Bruce Wayne already tried talking with Cobblepot. It's time he met the Batman.

I land on the rooftop and peek through one of the floor-to-ceiling windows, watching as Oz walks through followed by a few men and one of Falcone's guys. I activate magnified hearing and place to fingers to the window, listening to Oz.

"Come on, come on! I know there's gotta be more around here. The man probably had millions in his sock drawer alone."

"I-If Falcone found out I helped you, h-he-he'll kill me!" Obviously the man has not been informed of her current unemployment situation.

"Your old boss won't be doing much of anything." Oz suddenly shouts before calming. "Ever again." I'm discovering that Oz has a very short fuse but is able to quickly calm himself back down after blowing.

I notice Oz and his men start making their way for the stairs. I quickly jump down onto the balcony and silently dash through the doors, hearing the men going up the stairs. But then I notice one man standing alone, seeming to be on the lookout. I sneak behind a small ottoman.

I run towards him quietly and grab him, shoving my hand over his mouth and pushing him down behind the bar so Oz can't see us. I land a harsh blow to his face, knocking him out when Oz speaks up.

"You lot, come check out this office." The group begins to make its way to Falcone's office while I move along behind the bar. I notice the window's still missing and that I can use the hanging lights as a way of getting into the office.

"Where is it?" Oz demands as I start running towards the wall.

"I don't know!" the man begs. "Please, Mr. Cobblepot!"

"The name's Penguin," Oz corrects as I launch myself up, grabbing onto the lights and feeling them swing before quickly pushing off and landing right inside the window. "You can help me or you can join Falco-" Oz cuts off as his men pull their guns and a large man with blue skin and bulging red veins on his was arm turn towards me.

"Let him go," I growl, having already activated my voice modulator.

"Batman!" Oz greets cheerfully. "It's about time! You kill a crime boss; you'd expect a word of thanks from Gotham's number one vigilante!" One of Oz's men points his gun at Falcone's thug. "Don't worry-I'll pass your gratitude on to those who made it happen." The large blue man steps forward, ready to defend his boss should I try anything. "They'll be pleased to know you think so highly of their work."

"You used an innocent cop to do your dirty work. I know how you've been using the drugs you stole at the docks. Where are they?" I demand and Oz looks rather confused.

"Is this about Falcone?" Oz asks and I realize he was thinking he'd get to brag about his crime to me, like I'd approve. "We all saw how you felt about Falcone." Oz begins to walk towards the missing wall. "Pounded him into a pulp on live TV! If you were truly the defender of this city, you'd have finished the job yourself!" Oz yells. "Admit it, Falcone deserved to die. Vermin like Falcone-they deserve to be stomped out. Believe me, I know."

"You don't get to decide who lives and who dies. That's not justice."

"But it's bloody well satisfying, innit? As a show of good faith, I'm gonna let this one go." Oz gestures to the man holding the gun to the thug's head and he lowers his weapon. The moment he's able to, the thug makes a run for it and I'm surprised that Oz follows through with letting him go, at least in front of me. That's not to say he won't hunt him down later and kill him then. "How's about we talk this through? We helped you with Falcone. Now-if we could just cut out the rest of this lot, like Wayne and Hill-ordinary folks might be able to breathe." Oz hates me? Why does he want me dead? Or Hill? Does he know about Dad and the others?

I could tell him that he's the real rot in this town, that his "revolution" is doing nothing but angering people. Or I could tell him that I'm not involved or that I'll deal with Hill, but I can tell Oz is waiting for my answer so I don't give the satisfaction. I remain silent and glare, seeing the men behind him visibly shrink back.

"Your whole violent brooding thing must be exhausting." God, I never remember Oz being this talkative. "Here's the thing. I actually admire you, Batman. We both want the same kinds of things." I don't think so. Oz is obviously thirsty for power. I just want justice and safety for innocent families. "Me and my people-we've got big plans for Gotham." I see a man get off his phone and slide it in his pocket, nodding to the blue man.

"They found Catwoman," the man growls.

"What do you want with her?" I demand.

"We had a deal, she didn't make good on it. So sorry this didn't work out, mate," Oz starts to walk towards the door and I go to follow him when the blue man steps in my path, arms folded and a nasty smile on his face. "I'd stay to watch, but I still have a Catwoman problem to deal with. Or, what's her name again?"

"Selina," the man with the phone offers.

"Yes! A beautiful name." He does a two-finger salute before running out of the room, his men following. I try to run after him, but the blue man steps in my way again. I notice his legs are spread so I kick them further apart, then punch him solidly in the stomach which causes him to bend over slightly before delivering a punch to his face, but he's barely fazed as one punch from him sends me reeling back a few steps. I hear Oz laugh and look out the window to watch him run off. I look back to the blue man just in time to dodge a punch.

I continue dodging and then notice a knocked over stool beside me. I pick it up and swing it forcefully, but the stool breaking apart on impact didn't faze him at all either. "Gonna have to try harder than this." He taunts before landing a punch that sends me sailing out the window. I ignore the sharp pain in my jaw and reach for my grappling hook, firing it at the destroyed wall.

I land back in the office but see that no one's there. The blue man left the minute I was falling. After running out of the office and confirming the fact that no one's here anymore, I switch off the voice modulator.

"Alfred, track down Selina Kyle."

"I'll find her right away." He assures me.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry this is sort of a short chapter but the next section is probably going to be longer and I don't want these chapters to be huge.**

 **Thx!**

 **AMM**


	14. Juvenile of Arkham

**A/N: So, this chapter isn't going up for awhile for me (it's 4/2/18 for me currently) but a couple days ago I got my fifth dog. I must be insane. I now have 5 dogs and a cat but I don't regret any of them. So, my new dog, Bailey, is my writing buddy as she loves sitting on my lap no matter where I'm sitting. Thankfully she's lapdog size (she's a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel/Dachshund mix) so she's pretty small and a fantastic jumper. Also, did any of you see Ready Player One? Oh my God, despite not being very close to the book (sorry if that's a spoiler), it was still incredible and one of my all time favorite movies! Anyways, to the story….**

 **P.S. I think they made Bruce way too short in this game. He normally is rather tall but he looks like a midget compared to some of the people so I changed it a little bit.**

 **Thx!**

 **AMM**

* * *

 _ **I need to talk to you. Urgently.**_

 _Stacked Deck. 6pm. No Capes._

I look up at the sign across the street. A few cars pass and I turn my head to the side as not to be seen before crossing the street to the bar. I walk into the bar and look around, seeing people playing pool, talking, and drinking, like any normal watering hole. I see people look to me and then start murmuring about me. I walk towards the back of the bar to avoid as many people as possible and approach the jukebox. "Huh, tunes for drinking, dancing, and fighting. Not necessarily in that order."

I walk between an empty pool table and a pool table with only a few men playing, but I can hear them talking about the cops raiding the manor, which they sneer at.

I glance up at the TV as I approach the bar. "A new twist in the race for the mayor's office, as Harvey Dent backer Bruce Wayne comes under fire for alleged corruption. Joining me live is Mayor Hamilton Hill. Mr. Mayor, you said earlier today that in light of the allegations against him, Bruce Wayne should distance himself from Dent, but that was unlikely to happen. Why?"

"He strikes me as, well, the jealous sort. Very possessive of his toys." I look away, annoyed, but make sure to keep my calm. Better keep a low profile.

Just then, the bartender approaches. "You lost? Cuz I don't have time for tourists." She eyes me over. "Looks like you walked into the wrong bar."

"Uh, yeah. I'm looking for a woman-"

She cuts me off before I can finish my sentence. "You wouldn't be the first."

"Selina Kyle-I'm told she practically lives here."

"Selina, huh? You don't really strike me as her type." She tells me suspiciously.

"You'd be surprised."

"Hey," A gruff voice says behind me. "Don't I know you?" I turn to find a bald man with a long grey beard approach me. "It is you! Knew it!"

I glance around at his rather loud outburst. "Cops take all your fancy clothes? Or you trying to lay low? 'Course, you're not really the low-lying type."

"Nice to meet you, uh…."

"Frank. Yeah-funny, seeing you here. So much in the papers. Whole other thing meeting the man in real life. You're taller then I thought you would be."

I go to respond when I hear a woman say," Leave him alone, Frank. Man's just trying to have a quiet drink." Selina strolls right up to us.

"He didn't seem to mind the company. But, whatever." Frank turns and goes back to his pool game while Selina leans against the bar.

"Selina, I need to tell you something important."

"Better be an apology," she jokes sarcastically. "You were supposed to take care of our….mutual problem. Instead you just pissed him off."

"That's why I'm here. You're in danger."

"I've had rats on my tail all day," she admits.

"The man who hired you. His name is Oswald Cobblepot."

"Never heard of him," she brushes off.

"He goes by 'Penguin,'" I try and it immediately catches her attention as her eyes widen and lock on mine.

"Penguin?! Shit. You've gotta be kidding me." The bartender sets down two scotches in front of us though neither of us ordered anything. We go to an empty booth. "You should've just killed me on that rooftop. I'm dead anyway." Then she looks at me again. "When you screw someone over, you really screw them. The Penguin,"

"It's not my fault that you're in this, Selina, but I can help you out of it. Tell me what you know about Penguin."

She turns to face me more. "I only know him by reputation. I'm surprised you've never heard of him. He's a big deal across the pond. He's more dangerous then you think."

"I grew up with Oz," I reveal. "He's the first real friend I ever had."

"I'm not surprised. Questionable morals and a penchant for theatrics-you two have a lot in common." I scowl at her as she leans closer and lowers her voice. "The question is, why Gotham? Why now? It's not like he's hurting for crime syndicates abroad."

"He thinks he's changing the world for the better. No matter the cost."

"Well, he's no Joan of Arc, that's for sure." She leans back in her seat. "Well, I'm not sticking around to find out."

She's just going to leave? Just like that? "Oswald-Penguin is about to unleash God knows what on this city. You can't just leave." I rasp quietly.

"A good reason not to be here when he does." She says, picking at her cuticles. "You want to stay? That's your choice."

"If Penguin is everything you say, there's no tree high enough for you to climb. He will find you." Selina arches her eyebrow at me, clearly curious about my train of thought.

"So what are you suggesting? The bat helps the cat?"

"And the cat helps the bat." I lean my elbows on the table, waiting for her answer. She leans forward herself.

"Bruce, sweetie," Uh, what? "The gallant knight thing, it really is adorable. But what would Harvey think? The two of us. Working together. After all, I'm not really an all work and no play kind of girl. Harvey knows that." I narrow my eyes at her. Does she think I'm in this for more then just her help? 'Cause if so, she is sorely mistaken.

"You and Harvey-it's pretty clear you aren't just friends." I suggest.

"Please. I'm just toying with him." So she's stringing him along? Harvey would be heartbroken if he knew. "I only take my claws out for someone special." She flirts, eyeing me seductively. I try not to roll my eyes. "You and I-" She starts to say when the door bursts open and multiple men flood in. I recognize the man on the phone from earlier. He's Oz's right hand man, or so it seems.

Selina looks between the men walking towards us and me. "Well, Bruce. You were right."

"Selina Kyle?" the man with the phone says. "Penguin says, 'allo,'" He shoves his phone in his pocket and I watch as a man with a piece of pipe walks over to the jukebox, selecting a song. "Beat it! We're here for her!" The man tells me, pointing over his shoulder. When I continue to sit there, eyeing Selina, he says, "If you care about your own skin, you'll get the hell out." I jump from my seat and immediately punch a man in the stomach repeatedly, which forces the others into action. I can hear Selina begin to fight as well.

A man walks towards Selina with a beer bottle but I stop him and he seems surprised. I punch him in the face, grab the bottle, and hit another guy in the face causing the bottle to shatter before turning back to the guy and punching him into the booth. Another man runs towards me but I grab him by the throat and Selina roundhouse kicks him in the head.

She looks to me, surprised and I just smirk before turning back towards the guys that get back up. One guy pulls out a knife while the other picks up the piece of pipe. We run at our respective thugs, dodging their attacks. I throw the man with the knife on one of the tables, sending him crashing through it. The man with the bottle from earlier finds his way to his feet and runs at me but I put him in a headlock before slamming his head on one of the pool table edges. I look over at Selina as she finishes off her own thugs when I see more men run in.

"Not done yet," She pants before grabbing a pool stick. A few of the men get back up again and she whacks them in the head before I punch them. She hits another guy over the head as I sweep someone else's feet out from beneath them before we move to be standing back to back. A few of still manage to get to their feet.

"I think they want more." She says almost playfully.

"Then let's give it to them," I respond.

They all run at us but Selina passes me the pool cue and then ducks as I swing it around. One gets back up and grabs a stool, swinging it at me and breaking the pool cue in half. I take out a large group with the broken pool cue while Selina takes down her last guy. We both notice one more come running at us and we look at each other. Selina runs at me and I hook my arm with hers, flinging her over me and at the thug. She starts towards me when I hear police sirens in the background.

"You fight pretty good-for such a pretty boy." I smirk when the cop car pulls up out front. I quickly kneel next to Penguin's top guy and pull the phone he's always on from his pocket. "Come on! This way!" Selina starts running and I quickly follow her out back.

We run out into the alleyway and take deep breaths but then a few cops show at the entryway.

"Quick! Check the alleyway!" One yells and Selina and I dodge behind a car.

"Do you see anything?" I hear over a radio.

"Negative. Let's check the other side." The cop replies. I look around the back bumper of the car and watch the cop retreat while Selina pants behind me.

"Are we alone?" She asks seductively.

I look at her over my shoulder. I know I'll have to answer her but really don't want to. "Yeah, we're alone," I turn to face her as she rises up on her knees and leans in very close. She puts her fingertips on my cheek but I pull away.

"Let's get outta here," I suggest. We both stand and she walks away.

"I'll take the rooftops-you take the alley." She says.

"Wait," I approach her. "Just….stay out of trouble."

She scoffs. "Now where's the fun in that?" I smirk as she walks to a wall. "You shouldn't trust me, you know." I want to ask her who says I do but she pulls out her magnetic device from the rooftop a couple nights ago and ascends to the roof of the neighboring building. I watch her disappear before putting my earpiece in and pulling out Penguin's thugs phone and a small device that will transfer data.

"Alfred, I'm uploading the contents of a smartphone to the batcomputer. Check to see if there is anything on the phone we can use."

"Processing it now, is everything alright? There are quite a few police cars convening on you."

"It's fine," I brush off. "Has the batcomputer found anything yet?"

"Bruce, there are a number of messages here. All from Mayor Hill." I start to walk towards the back of the alley.

"Mayor Hill?" I ask in disbelief.

"The last voicemail is his. Listen to this-"

" _I gave you everything I have on Wayne! I've held up my end of the bargain and I expect you to do the same!"_ I pocket the phone and stand at the edge of the alleyway, hands tucked in my pockets.

"This is very shady indeed. Whatever they're talking about, it doesn't sound good." I hit a button on the side of my phone in my pocket and watch as my Ferrari rolls to a stop in front of me.

"I should have guessed. Hill's working with Penguin. If Hill's talking with Penguin, he must know something. It's time I paid him a visit." I growl.

"I agree. The Mayor must have answers. But if I may offer a word of advice-people look up to Batman after how you handled Falcone. Terrorizing the mayor could damage that goodwill. Then again, Batman's methods would certainly get him talking immediately. Bruce would have to depend on his guile to loosen Hill's lips."

"Going as Bruce is the smart choice." I hop in the car and speed to City Hall.

* * *

 **A/N: This took longer then it probably should have but when I have an adorable doggie on my lap, I kinda get distracted. But who wouldn't?! She's adorable! And making my other dog currently with me super jealous.**

 **Thx!**

 **AMM**


	15. Issue of Arkham

**A/N: So I have been kind of bad lately about uploading on time and I apologize for that. It's not intentional. I recently took some classes that went late into the night, sometimes to 10:30/11 and it tuckered me out so I wasn't watching the days and didn't have the energy to write. Finally getting a little done, though.**

 **Thx!**

 **AMM**

* * *

I pull up and front of City Hall and look up, noticing lights shining brightly out of the still broken floor to wall windows on the fifty-second floor. I walk into the building and notice that the elevator is still closed from the other night so I begin to climb the stairs.

I push open the doors leading into the offices on the fifty-second floor and see that it's still a mess. God, he hasn't fixed anything in this building, has he? I walk towards the door and go to open them when Hill's Secretary, the only person in the offices, stops me.

"Sorry, the Mayor's busy. Do you have an appointment?" she asks politely. I'm surprised Hill still hasn't let her go home yet. "The Mayor's doing debate prep." I'd nearly forgotten that's tomorrow. "He really can't be disturbed right now." She stresses.

I could be rude and just walk in, I could plead for her to help me out this once, but instead I say, "You're really telling me that Bruce Wayne needs an appointment?" As much as I hate using my title as a way of dodging the rules, it's still necessary to do it occasionally.

"But the Mayor-" I cut her off.

"-Will be fine. And if he fires you, just come to work for me. Deal?" She smiles and turns her head, looking back towards her computer.

I open the doors and slip into Hill's office. His back is turned as he stands in front of a mirror, his eyes meeting mine for a moment in the reflection. The door snicks behind me as it shuts and I cross my arms over my chest, eyes narrowing in disgust. "Bruce Wayne. Finally, you've come to see me. Of course, only after your name's been dragged through the mud. Don't get me wrong," he combs his fingers through his hair after he finishes adjusting his tie. "I'm glad to see you. But you're a day late and a great many dollars short."

This man thinks I came here to offer money. I'm no friend, I'm here for answers, but I can't just say that. So why not lead him on to believe that I am here to offer him money for his campaign. "We can be friends, Hill," I smile my fake smile, dropping my arms so I don't seem so intimidating and step forward a little. "I'd like us to put aside our differences."

I see Hill smile his greasy smile in the mirror. "It's easy to ask for peace after losing the war." He turns to face me. "But I won't be the one to deny a fresh start. You're father and I; we took this city and made it ours. Falcone too, rest his soul. We built everything we have." Falcone sits in his desk chair before looking up at me with cold eyes and a sneer. "You were born with it. A soft boy like you wouldn't understand what it takes to rise to the top." He leans forward on his elbows as I walk to one of the chairs in front of his desk, pulling out my phone and setting it on the desk before playing the most recent voicemail from Hill to Oz.

His voice filters out, repeating what I've already heard. "I've given you everything I have on Wayne. I've help up my end of the bargain and expect you to do the same." I stare straight at Hill and watch the panic slip through his stiff façade but only for a second before getting covered up as he stands. The recording shuts off and Hill walks towards a set of doors.

"Sounds like me," he says dismissively.

"It is you," I pocket my phone and follow him out onto his balcony.

"So?" he walks up to the railing. "What's your point?" he says calmly. "I take it you have one or are you just fond of my dulcet tones?"

"Why attack me? Because of Dent and the campaign?" I ask as I step up beside him.

"I'm in Cobblepot's crosshairs, same as you," he tries.

"But you fed them dirt on me." I grit out while re-crossing my arms.

"Only the files I seized from Wayne Manor." As if that makes it any better. "Your father, Falcone, and I-we had ways of getting anything we wanted. How do you think your family got the land for Wayne Tower? Cobblepot wants retribution because we took his family's land. Oswald's family signed it over to us. Along with the rest of their assets" I can understand Oz being angry, but Hill needs to stay out of this unless he wants to end up dead at the hands of Oz.

"Even if that's true-it's no excuse for Cobblepot's crimes."

"I quite agree. It doesn't hurt to understand your enemy's motives. There's so much more we could share…if only we were friends." Hill knows I want to know what's happening, what my parents did and my thirst for answers, but he doesn't seem to realize that I don't care about anything he has to say. I want to keep him believing, however, that he's got me hooked.

"I could help you with Penguin. Let you in on some family history." He steps up to me and puts a hand up on my shoulder as I practically tower over him. I fight shrugging him off. "But I'm caught in a dogfight for my political career-and my rival has bottomless pockets." He turns to look sourly at the big poster of Harvey's face and his campaign slogan right across the way, leaning against the railing with hands clenched tightly.

"Now, if that rival were to, say, drop out….or his advertising spend were to dry up….I might have a lot more resources for helping a new friend." I want to say no, that I could never go against Harvey, but I figure that I can lead Hill to believe I'll back him just long enough to get the info I need out of him before backing away.

"Fine. If that's what it takes to earn your friendship."

Hill smiles again, looking to me. "I knew you'd see the light. It's time we really talked." He walks back towards his office. "Power is an old oak-the trunk stands strong, but it's the roots that hold it up. And the thickest of them lead to Arkham." Hill takes a seat in one of the chairs opposite of his desk.

"Arkham Asylum?"

"Your father, me, Falcone, we used it to get our enemies out of the way-drugged and declared them insane. It made it easy to take their things." I sit in the other chair. "Thomas was the doctor. I leveraged my political power to ease the transfer of assets."

"My father….I can't believe he'd be apart of that!" There are many things I've come to learn that my father has done but there's no way he drugged people and declared them insane just to take their stuff. But I never thought he'd be in the crime business either. Maybe I didn't know my father at all.

"It doesn't matter if you believe. Penguin does. And he's not happy about it. Gotham was chaos before we took control. At least now, there's a semblance of order." He quiets for a moment before saying quietly, "Listen Bruce-now that we're on the same side-your father's last gift to me. They're yours." Hill pulls the cufflinks off and hands them to me. I notice the small black keys adorning them as I take them from Hill's palm. "The keys to the city." He explains.

"Thank you,"

"Hamilton." He pats my back like an Uncle would his favorite nephew. "Call me Hamilton." He then stands and goes to the other side of his desk. "Penguin's gathered quite a few victims to his crusade. But that's a problem for another day. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to prep for the debate. My door is always open Bruce." He opens his office doors as I stand, putting the cufflinks in my pants pocket. "Next time, make an appointment."

Right before I leave, I stop in front of Hill. "Whatever deal you've made with Penguin….he won't honor it." I try to warn him.

"Don't worry about me. This isn't the first time someone's tried to take a shot at me." I step out of the office and hear the door creak as Hill shuts them behind me. I notice the secretary's gone so I pull out my earpiece and put it in my ear.

"Alfred-get a warning out to Gordon to increase security at the debate. Hill seems to think he's safe but Penguin's still out there.

* * *

 **A/N: So this chapter was short….again but I honestly prefer the short chapters compared to the super long ones, just so that you all have time to process what you've just read instead of getting squished with information.**

 **Thx!**

 **AMM**


	16. Youth of Arkham

**A/N: Okay, I'm literally a big enough of a dork that I replayed the game and recorded it so I'd have my own choices and reactions written. I want to focus on writing though, so I won't go back and adjust the choices made in previous chapters for awhile. Also, I mentioned eons ago that I was going to add Diana in and I finally have. I just couldn't write anything that I liked so there was a lot of write and rewrite and rewrite again, etc. So, finally, after how long? Chapter 12 includes some steamy scenes at the end with Diana. Now, without further ado, chapter 16.**

 **Thx!  
AMM**

* * *

I toss my cowl onto the tabletop as I pass to the computer, pulling out the damnable phone with the discriminating voicemails.

"I wonder what else is on here," I wonder aloud.

"As per your request," Alfred speaks, alerting me of his presence," Lieutenant Gordon has tripled security at the debate."

"Thanks, Alfred," I turn back towards the computer as it begins decrypting and sifting through the phone.

"It's a plan of the old Monarch Theatre!" Alfred states as blueprints pop up on the screen.

"The auditorium where the debate is being held," I specify. "Hmm, I've just hacked into the security cameras at the auditorium."

"Just to be safe?"

"Just to be safe," I confirm, flipping through the feeds.

"Hills….details about your father-they must have been quite upsetting." Alfred says quietly. I forgot he'd heard the entire conversation via my earpiece. "I can't imagine how you must feel. To learn so much is so little time." I take a deep breath, wanting to forget about my talk with Hill. Did Alfred know about Dad's knack for drugging people to get his way? I wish desperately that he doesn't, but know he most likely does.

"To be honest, Alfred, nothing can shock me anymore, not when it comes to my parents."

"I wish I felt the same way." So he didn't know about Dad's nasty habit. Good. I don't like the thought of Alfred hiding stuff like this from me. "But I suppose no good can come from wallowing0the city needs you now more than ever." I have no response to him, unsure of what to say, so I opt to say nothing and sit instead as my chair rises out of the ground.

I continue to circle through the feeds when I realize I'm watching the same clip over and over again. "Something's wrong…."

"Penguins men may have commandeered the cameras on their end," Alfred offers dutifully from my side. "We could just be looking at-"

"-What they want us to see." I stand quickly and grab the cowl, sliding it on as I walk towards the car. "Warm Gordon that he may have visitors. I have to get down there. Now." I speed off and head quickly to the theatre, remembering Harvey's at said theatre prepping for the debate. He needs to get out of there.

I type in Harvey's number and it rings a few times before he picks up.

"Hey, Bruce," he says calmly. "Man, I'm glad you called-I needed to talk to you, actually. Something's come up. Something that's not quite pleasant."

"Harvey-listen to me. Your life is in danger." I stress.

Harvey scoffs. "Because of Penguin and his thugs? Thanks, but there is an army of security here. They have me in some back room until the debate begins. 'For my own protection' they said. A little bit overkill if you ask me."

"It's _not_ overkill, Harvey, it's a real-"

"Please," he cuts me off. "I need to get this off my chest. Uh, look, Bruce. I didn't want to do this over the phone. But, my advisors are telling me I need to….that I need to distance myself from you. Until all this mess with your family blows over. They're afraid it's-" Part of me is hurt with Harvey being one of my closest friends, but at the same time, I saw it coming. I knew Harvey really just likes me for my title and wealth. But I just need to keep him focused on his safety.

"I get it, it's the smart move. But let's talk about it later-"

"I'm glad you see it that way," he cuts me off again. "With the allegations in the press and now this mess with Falcone-" which he got me into- "you're a liability." I have been called a lot of things over the years but a liability is not one of them. "Here's the thing, Bruce. Without your money, I am dead in the water." Point proven. I squint my eyes at the road as I begin to grow frustrated.

"I know this is a delicate topic, but I need you to keep me afloat. I may have to trash you in public." This just keeps getting better and better. "But you and I will know the truth about our friendship." He has got some nerve telling me this, treating me like this and thinking it's okay. And I don't think and feel this way because I'm rich. I think and feel this way because part of me has always hoped that our friendship was more than status. I guess not. However, I still know I'd rather back Harvey then Hill.

"No matter what, we need a new mayor. Hill needs to be removed."

"I knew you'd see it that way," Harvey says. "Listen, I hate to push you, but I need to know. Can I count on your money, Bruce?" I want to smack my head against the window.

It wasn't, "can I count on you, Bruce?" It was, "can I count on your _money_ , Bruce?" Oh my god. I'm going to hurt him. It's all he's thinking about, all he's concerned with.

"Whatever it takes to save Gotham," he states, trying to make it sound better.

"I'll always support Gotham, Harvey."

"Thank you, Bruce! Thank you!" Harvey sighs with relief. "You don't know how much this means to me-to Gotham. I'm sorry Bruce the makeup person is here. Guess she needs to put on my face." He chuckles. "I hope you can still watch the debate somewhere. No matter what I have to say tonight, remember, you are always my friend." As long as you have money and back me.

How come I called him to warn him about security but instead got told I'm not good enough to publically be his friend but my money is good enough to fund his campaign. What kind of friend is he?

"Harvey-" he hangs up the phone and I growl in annoyance, pushing the car to go faster.

I grapple to the rooftop after exiting the Batmobile and parking it in an alleyway, landing behind Gordon. "Batman!" He says in surprise, pulling the ever-present cigarette out of his mouth. "It's been quiet so far." He looks back down to the debate.

"I've got a feeling that's about to change," I rasp.

"I'm glad I took a chance on this-this collaboration of ours." He says suddenly, looking to me as I see someone in my peripheral land behind us quietly. "Keep on doing what you're doing and the rest of Gotham will start to see you like I do. A hero."

"I appreciate the sentiment, Jim. But we have bigger things to worry about right now. Your security has been compromised."

Gordon chokes on the smoke he just inhaled. "I've got patrols on every door!"

"You better check on them." I say just as the newcomer makes herself known, Gordon reaching for his gun on instinct.

"I'd keep that holstered if I were you," Catwoman claims, pointing to Gordon's hand.

"What's she doing here?" Gordon demands, looking to me for answers. She was apart of that robbery from the mayor's office!"

"Really?" Selina asks, folding her arms. "You're going to drag out that dead horse?" It's not like I fully trust Selina but she had my back the other night at the Stacked Deck so I'll give her a chance.

"We're all on the same side, Jim," I try to reassure him.

"This better not come back to bite me," he threatens before pulling out his radio and walking away, attempting to contact his teams. "Alpha control, come in."

I look to Selina as she uncrosses her arms. "That…um….incident in the bar….debt is its own kind of cage-I can't stand being in it. Not that I needed your help or anything, but you had my back. I thought I'd repay the favor." You can't always go around in life taking things as a debt every time you do something for someone or they do something for you. It messes with the way people think. "You know, like "you scratch my back, I cut some people up?"'

"You don't owe me anything. Those scum had it coming."

"And they say chivalry is dead." I wouldn't quite call this chivalry.

Gordon turns to us, stomping on his stub. "None of my men on the ground are responding."

"Enough waiting. We're going in," I tell him as he tries his radio again.

"Now, aren't you glad I'm here?" Selina asks arrogantly before slinging her whip and jumping off the roof.

"Well, you have a better shot than my SWAT team of getting in there quietly." I press a few keys on my arm control and my drone comes flying from the alleyway where the Batmobile is parked. It goes flying down towards the auditorium. As the drone flies by, Gordon makes an irritating comment. "We are seriously underfunded at the GCPD." I know he's only saying that in response to my high-tech gadgets but after my phone call with Harvey a moment ago, I don't want to listen to another person talk about wanting money.

"Sounds like a vote for Dent, Lieutenant." I tell him. If Hill won't fund him properly, maybe Harvey will?

* * *

 **A/N: So, yeah. I'm back. I know it was a shorter chapter but the scene is about to pick up and didn't want to write a mile long chapter so just stay tuned for the next one. I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things. No promises, I'm finishing up school, done early in December so things might get hectic for me again but I have a new job so a flexible work schedule and I frankly don't have the drive to go out and do things as much anymore. So I foster puppies and play video games and hopefully write. I do intend, also to bring Diana back again but the next time we hear from her will most likely be a phone call and then an in-person greeting but not together. Does that make sense?**

 **Thx!**

 **AMM**


	17. Descendant of Arkham

Looking down from the rafters in the back room, I watch and count the number of armed men stalking around. I drop down, taking out the two in front of the door as silently as possible, Selina jumping down beside me as I bring my drone in from the opening in the roof. We both seem to spot the pile of officers in the corner though Selina's the first to speak up. "At least we know why they weren't responding."

I patch into Gordon to relay the news. "Gordon, we found one of your patrols-they've been terminated."

"Those Goddamn, sons of-" I shut him off as Oz is shown on the small TV marching on stage in front of Harvey and Hill with more thugs, an odd bird-like mask on his face.

"So sorry, ladies and gents. As you might have guessed, there's been a change to tonight's program. First order of business-" he pulls a gun from his waistband and aims it at the moderator. "Firing the moderator." He holds his arms wide like he's expecting a round of applause as people scream in terror.

"I hate to be a downer, but these hostages, I don't like their chances." Selina looks to me, as if seeking permission or something.

"If we're quick and decisive, no one else has to die." Selina's shoulders slump slightly but she nods.

"If you say so, but Penguin's playing for keeps."

"Fanatics always do," I tell her as we both step closer to where everyone is being kept, around the corner.

"These guys are armed to the teeth," Selina points out as I watch the large blue man from the other night push Vicki Vale out the doors leading to the stage.

"We need a new moderator," I hear Oz say before Vicki is pushed on stage. "Yes! You there! Thank you for volunteering!" Oz puts the gun to Vicki's head as she holds her hands up.

"Please! No!" Vicki pleads.

"Go on, then! Introduce the candidates!" When Vicki doesn't say anything, Oz surprisingly continues to talk to her instead of lashing out like I'd expect him to do. "Stage fright, huh? Alright, I'll get you started, but this is your show." I glance around the room from our hiding spot, only noticing three men moving about with their guns at the ready.

"Three hostiles. Gotta take them out quietly."

"On the left-hard of heart, soft in gut-our down and dirty incumbent, Mayor Hill!" Oz introduces artfully just as I see Selina climb up above and hide in the ceiling. "And on the right-always smiling to your face-our despicable DA, Harvey Dent!"

"Bird mask guy-whatever your name is-" Vicki starts.

"Call me Penguin," Oz interrupts her.

"Yes, of course, Penguin then. We will play your game-just please, let these people go!" Vicki pleads as I look between the thugs, trying to decide the best way to take them out.

"Play then, and we'll see. Coin toss! Heads goes first!"

"Heads," Vicki repeats.

"Questions! Ask them questions!" Oz demands. I look to one thug, standing in front of a bright theatre light that I could easily use to knock him out and another can be knocked out with the backup camera that's sitting off to my right.

"Um…okay….Mr. Dent, the….the subject on everyone's mind is the new Wayne Mental Health Facility…."

"It's such a needed state-of-the-art health care hospital that will offer treatment for the most unfortunate of Gotham's citizens-" Harvey begins when Oz cuts him off.

"I told you I want the truth! Not that sterile on-message rubbish!"

I could use the table to take down the last man standing in the doorway, prepared to call for help. The table's sturdy enough that it'll get the job done.

"We had a d-deal-I gave you what you wanted-oof-" Hill tries to talk but Oz smacks him across the face with the butt of his gun.

"Save it for the opening statements, pillock. Rule one! Talk when I say talk. Shut your gob when I say shut your gob! Easy! Rule two! Scratching, biting and kicking each other in the nads are all encouraged!" Good to know Oz is still childish in his rules.

I glance at Selina who's been watching me but being so used to working on my own, I didn't bother to include her in any of my plans. Either she understands or has plans of her own because she nods to me and I nod back before moving into action. I take out the man with the camera first, then dash for the one who's moved from his doorway position, slamming his head into the table before jumping over the rows of table and chairs and take the light, swinging it like a baseball bat and taking care of thug number three.

"Rule three! Always, always tell the truth. Even if it hurts, it'll hurt even worse if you don't!"

The scared hostages all look to Selina and I, cowering as if we're coming after them next. "Keep your heads down," I instruct quietly and point to the back door. "Make for the police line." They all dash for the door as Oz catches my attention on the TV. He's walked up and grabbed the camera, talking directly into it.

"And now, a word from our sponsor." The signal glitches out before being replaced by a familiar figure. The person from the train station the other night with the concussion stick steps into view of the camera

"My downtrodden brothers and sisters of Gotham. You have nothing to fear. We are the Children of Arkham. We are here to end the masquerade and expose the corruption at root in your city." I glance to Selina and she simply shrugs her shoulders at me. "For too long, men, like your esteemed mayor, have profited from the pain of innocents.

"This is spiraling out of control-they have no idea about the man behind the mask!"

"Whoever it is, they're smart. Let someone else get their hands dirty." Selina states with another shrug of her shoulders.

"Look into the hearts of these spineless creatures, chosen to lead." The TV switches back to the debate, the figure still talking but now on the jumbotron behind Oz, Vicki, Hill, and Harvey. Oz can be seen holding Vicki to gunpoint with two needles in her hands.

"Go on, love," Oz encourages. "You know what to do."

Vicki wearily approaches Hill who looks terrified but is kept in place by the thug pointing his gun at Hill's back. Vicki is non-to gentle jamming the needle into Hill's shoulder before approaching Harvey.

"Candidates! Take off your masks!" the figure calls out as Vicki jams the other needle between Harvey's should blades. Both men shake as blue veins spread from around their mouth. It's an even more powerful version of the drug they've been using. They've managed to enhance it even further.

"Show Gotham your true selves! Tell them what you really think about the city you pretend to love!" Their leader calls out angrily. I duck behind a row of technical equipment as a thug drags the old moderator away when Gordon suddenly snaps in my ear.

"Everybody in Gotham saw that moderator get show on live TV! What's going on in there!"

"First off, we should incinerate the poor!" Hill suddenly announces. "Lazy degenerates waiting for handouts because they can't be bothered to get a damn job!" This drug isn't acting on physical impulses but verbal ones. Hill's saying everything he really wants to say and it makes me nervous for Harvey. I grapple up to the heavens, looking down on the stage from above.

"Dent? Do you have anything to say?" Oz urges.

"You really want to hear what I think?" he asks as I rip a vent grate off the wall. "Gotham is flawed, sure. What city isn't? Its flaws are what make it beautiful," Harvey says truthfully as Selina and I crawl into the vent.

"We're out of time, Batman!" Gordon screeches in my ear. "The press is going nuts with those two drugged on stage!"

"The flaws are what drive me." Harvey continues. "I want to smooth over the cracks and make the city better. It's not too late to save this city. To take it back from the corrupt politicians."

"And what about the corrupt elite?" Oz questions. "The men whose fortunes are built on corpses? Men like your friend, Bruce Wayne! You're as bad as he is! Happy to look away from what you don't want to see! Roll the tape!" The figure that's been silent disappears and a sudden piece of footage replaces it.

On the screen, Oz's mother lays strapped to a gurney, my father standing at the end by her feet, holding a clipboard while Hill and another man stand aside.

"Subject Nine," my father addresses.

"Dad?"

"I thought your father was dead?" Selina questions quietly.

"Subject Nine," dad repeats, "Esther Cobblepot. You've been declared criminally insane and committed to Arkham indefinitely as a ward of the state."

"Please," Mrs. Cobblepot begs, struggling in her handcuffs that are hooked to the gurney. "I'll sell you the land. Please don't do this-"

"You had your chance. You should have made the deal we offered you." Hill states, pushing his hands into his pockets. "Give her the drug."

"Thomas-we-we're friends! Our boys play together-" she pleads as the other man in the room steps forward with a prepped syringe.

"You were warned, Esther. You know I always get what I want." My father tells her emotionlessly. "Commence the procedure." He says before turning and walking away, Hill following him as Mrs. Cobblepot is injected with the drug. "Give her a dose she won't come back from." My gasp matches the ones that fill the room below me full of debate watchers being held hostage. As soon as the needle is pulled away, Esther begins to seize on the gurney and scream loudly, making no sense before being wheeled away.

No wonder Oz is so mad. My dad drugged his mother so he could take her land, the land on which Wayne Enterprises is built on, and which also drove his dad to commit suicide.

"Now you know! Now you will see!" the figure claims as they return to the screen. At that moment, the police burst open the door, shots immediately being fired and people screaming with their hands over their heads for protection. The large blue man steps into the door way and throws the cops around like rag dolls as I drop a smoke bomb between the thugs standing in front of the stage firing into the crowd and jump from the heavens, landing on the stage in front of Oz.

"Batman!" Oz shouts excitedly. "You sure know how to make an entrance!" He grabs Vicki and holds a gun to her head but she boldly throws her elbow back and runs from him and towards me. I swiftly pull my cape around her as she runs past and Oz shoots after her before spinning and launching a batarang back towards him, hitting his arm. I approach Oz who's kneeling with his arm pulled to his chest when he flings his hand out and points into the smoke.

"Why don't you kick the crap out of him?!" The large blue man jumps on stage, grabbing the moderator's table and throwing it at me. It hits me square in the chest but I'm able to push it over my head before it pins me to the wall. However, we knock numerous banners and posters down as both the table and I crash through everything. I signal the drone to come in but the large man simply grabs it and snaps it over his knee before turning his attention back on me. Over his shoulder, I watch Oz approach Hill, the drugs apparently having worn out of his system already.

"P-please!" Hill begs. "I made my amends!"

"You could never!" Oz growls as I dodge numerous hits from the ice-colored man in front of me.

"That-that was all Thomas Wayne! Not me! I tried to get him to stop!" Hill tries lying, pinning this on my father. I land three solid punches in a row that have the large man bent over.

"I-I took out Thomas Wayne!" Hill admits, backing away from Oz. "That-that was all him-he didn't know when to stop-I had him killed because of it!" I don't believe his reasoning and Oz doesn't seem to either.

Hill's confession proves to be a great distraction for me as the thug in front of me punches me in the face, breaking a lens from my cowl before wrapping his hand around my throat and picking me up off the ground.

"That won't bring back my poor old mum." I hear Oz reply as I try to break the mans grip. "So this is for her."

I expect to hear a gunshot when Harvey suddenly yells, "I won't let you kill anyone else!" and the sound of someone crumpling to the ground hits my ears. But when Oz shouts that it wasn't Harvey's turn, I know it was Harvey hitting the ground and not Oz. Then three gunshots ring out in succession and another body hit the ground. I grab an electric charged gadget from my belt and slam it in the mans mouth, repeatedly punching him in the jaw until he drops me and falls to the side and falls unconscious. I turn and see Harvey stand as I take in large breaths of air, Oz turning to him.

"Where's your mate, Bruce Wayne? Your biggest supporter, and he didn't even turn up?" Harvey throws a punch but misses. Unfortunately, Oz returns the favor and lands the punch to Harvey's jaw. Selina and I both drop in front of Harvey, ready for a fight. Harvey's pulled from the ground with a gun pressed to his head as Oz turns to address us.

"Batman?! The revolution's already started! It's too late to join!"

"Your revolution is over, Penguin." I announce.

Oz shakes his head. "On the contrary! We're just getting started!" Turning his gun towards Selina and I, he fires off numerous shots and we roll away from each other to avoid being hit. I see Selina fall to the side as armed thugs rush up on stage and I run to her, throwing batarangs in the thug's faces to knock them out before pulling her to her feet. However, right as she gets her bearings, I hear someone hit the ground and begin to scream, a foul burnt flesh smell filling in the air and my heads snaps to Oz and Harvey as Oz holds a broken and hot light to Harvey's face.

Harvey screams in agony as Oz grates the light back and forth across the burning skin of Harvey's face. Oz lifts the light above his head and prepares to smash it back down but I break out in a run and throw another batarang, hitting off the side of Oz's mask and causing him to lose his grip on the light. The remaining cops step forward and begin to fire but it's at both Oz and I before Gordon stops them.

I run to Harvey, dropping to my knees and gently rolling him over and he gaps and wheezes as I look in horror over the missing skin. His muscles are revealed to the light and only a string of skin connects his left cheek to his jaw, revealing his teeth.

"Where's the maniac in the mask?" Gordon demands before joining me at Harvey's side and seeing the damage. "We need paramedics over here now!" I can't fight the crippling guilt in my stomach as I stand and step away from Harvey and towards the syringe. Selina surely could've handled herself. I hadn't been watching Oz and Harvey. I should've been. I may doubt Harvey's loyalty to me, his motive to our friendship but he's still an innocent life and I let him get hurt at the hands of a madman.

I slowly lean down and pick up the empty syringe and then notice Oz's mask lying off to the side. He got away.

* * *

 **A/N: So, I actually finished playing through the game for myself and will eventually go back through and change some of the things that happen in the story to fit the choices I personally made. Nothing that affects huge outcomes. Also, the heavens, at least where I'm from, are what the lights people at theatres use to reach and mess with lights for shows or things like that. It's how they reach all the lights. It's by going into the heavens. Another thing. I don't like Selina, as I've said before, but I really wanted Two Face and I know that saving Selina is how I'd achieve that so that is the only reason why I say Selina instead of Harvey. Now to deal with the aftermath.**

 **Thx!**

 **AMM**


	18. Child of Arkham

**A.N: This is the last chapter for the second episode of the game, Children of Arkham. But since the story is called Children of Arkham, I'm calling the chapter Child of Arkham just to distinguish.**

 **Thx!**

 **AMM**

* * *

"City Hall is in chaos after Mayor Hamilton hill was confirmed dead."

"While several members from the Children of Arkham have been arrested, the Penguin is still at large."

* * *

"He won't be the same after this," a hurt young man tells an old friend, placing the syringe he'd recovered earlier that night down on his worktable along side a mask in the shape a penguin head.

* * *

"Meanwhile, the Wayne Family scandal continues to escalate after the full list of Thomas Wayne's victims was released to the public." A man announces into the dark area underneath a prestigious house.

* * *

A young lady wakes up on the couch somewhere she doesn't know until a familiar face steps into her line of sight and sits beside her, easing her troubled mind.

* * *

"Lawyers representing Bruce Wayne have no comment at this time."

* * *

"We are the Children of Arkham and we have opened your eyes."

* * *

 **A/N: This chapter is super short, of course, because it's the end of the episode. It's not as dramatic as the last episode ending. That one was rough on the feels, am I right?! But yeah. So, because this is short, I won't wait forever to post it. next Sunday instead of What Makes Bruce Happy (which is pushed back to the following Sunday). Also, expect to hear from Diana in either the next chapter or the chapter after that. Sometime soon!**

 **Thx!**

 **AMM**


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